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OFFKJXAL UOIs'AXION. 



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



WATER-SUPPLY 



AND 



lEKIGATION PAPEKS 



OP THE 



UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



N"o. 7 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH.— Fortier 



WASHINGTON 

aOVEENMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1897 



IRRIGATION REPORTS. 

The following list contains the titles and brief descriptions of the principal reports 
relating to water supply and irrigation prepared by the United States Geological 
Survey since 1890: 

1S90. 

First Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1890, octavo, 123 pp. 

Printed as Part II, Irrigation, of the Tenth Acnual Reporb of the United States Geolog- 
ical Survey, 1888-89. Contains a statement of the origin of the Irrigation Survey, a pre- 
liminary report on the organization and prosecution of the survey of the arid lands for 
purposes of irrigation, and report of work done during 189U. 

1S91. 

Second Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 395 pp. 

Published as Part II, Irrigation, of the Eleventh Annual Report of the United States 
Geological Survey, 1889-90. Contains a description of the hydrography of the arid region 
and of the engineering operations carried on by the Irrigation Survey during 1890; alr,o 
the statement of the Director of the Survey to the House Committee on Irrigation, and 
other papers, including a bibliography of irrigation literature. Illustrated by 29 plates and 
4 figures. 

Third xinnual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 576 pp. 

Printed as Part II of the Twelfth Annual Report of the United States Geological Sur- 
vey, 1890-91. Contains a report upon the location and survey of reservoir sites during tho 
fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, by A. H. Thompson; "Hydrography of the arid regions," 
by F. H. Newell; "Irrigation in India," by Herbert M. Wilson. Illustrated by 93 plates 
and 190 figures. 

Bulletins of the Eleventh Census of the United States upon irrigation, prepared 
by F. H. Newell, quarto. 

No. 35, Irrigation in Arizona; No. 60, Irrigation in New Mexico; No. 85, 
Irrigation in Utah; No. 107, Irrigation in Wyoming: No. 153, Irrigation in 
Montana; No. 157, Irrigation in Idaho; No. 163. Irrigation in Nevada; No. 
178, Irrigation in Oregon; No. 193, Artesian wells for irrigation; No. 198, 
Irrigation in Washington. 

1N93. 

Irrigation of western United States, by F. H. Newell; extra census bulletin No. 
23, September 9, 1892, quarto, 22 pp. 

Contains tabulations showing the total number, average size, etc., of irrigated holdings, 
the total area and average size of irrigated farms in the subhumid regions, the percentage 
of number of farms irrigated, character of crops, value of irrigated lands, the average cost 
of irrigation, the investment and profits, together with a resume of the water supply and 
a desci'iption of irrigation by artesian wells. Illustrated by colored maps showing the 
location and relative extent of the irrigated areas. 

189.3. 

Thirteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1891-92, Part 
III, Irrigation, 1893, octavo, 480 pp. 

Consists of three papers: "Water supply for irrigation," by F. H. Newell* "American 
engineering and engineering results of the Irrigation Survey," by Herben M. Wilson; 
"Construction of topographic maps and selection and survey of reservoir sites," by A. H. 
Thompson. Illustrated by 77 plates and 119 figures. 

A geological reconnoissance in central Washington, by Israel Cook Russell, 1803. 
octavo, 103 pp., 15 plates. Bulletin No. 108 of the United States Geological 
Survey; price, 15 cents. 

Contains a description of the examination of the geologic structure in and ad.iacent to 
the drainage basin of Yakima River and the great plains of the Columbia to the east of 
this area, with special reference to the occurrence of artesian waters. 

1S94. 

Report on agriculture by irrigation in the western part of the United States at the 
Eleventh Census, 1890, by F. H. Newell, 1894, quarto, 283 pp. 

Consists of a general description of the condition of irrigation in the United States, the 
area irrigated, cost of works, their value and profits; also describes the water supply, the 
value of water, of artesian wells, reservoirs, and other details; then takes up each State 
and Territory in order, giving a general description of the condition of agriculture by irri- 
gation, and discusses the physical condition and local peculiarities in each county. 

Fourteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1892-93, in two 
parts. Part II, Accompanying papers, 1894, octavo, 597 pp. 

Contains papers on "Potable waters of the eastern United States," by W J McGee; 
"Natural mineral waters of the United States," by A. C. Peale; "Results of stream 
measurements," by F. H. Newell. Illustrated by maps and diagrams. 

(Continued on third page of cover.) 



DEPARTMENT OF THE rNTERIOR 



WATER-SUPPLY 



IREIGATION PAPEES 



OF THE 



UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



I^o. 7 




WASHINGTOJf . 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1897 



% 



-C), 




UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY 

CHARLES 1). WALCOTT, DIKECTOR 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH 



/i' 



BY 



SAMUEL FORTIER 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE • 
189 7 



58468 






CONTENTS. 



•• Page. 

Location and purpose of the investigation _ — 11 

Origin of seepage water 13 

Precipitation 15 

Evaporation 17 

Transpiration 24 

Cache Valley and its water supply 27 

Logan River _ 29 

Blacksmith Fork River 33 

Little Bear River 33 

Cub River 35 

High Creek. 37 

Summit Creek . 38 

Results of miscellaneous measurements 39 

Results of stream measurements 41 

Seepage waters in Ogden Valley 44 

5 



LLUSTRATIONS 



Plate I. Map of drainage basin of Bear River 12 

II. Bear River Canyon, Utah 42 

III. Map of principal ditches from Ogden River 46 

Fig. 1 . Diagram showing mean monthly rainfall 15 

2. Diagram showing mean annual rainfall 15 

3. Evaporating pan and. scale 18 

4. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of 

Logan River - 29 

5. Diagram showing apx)ropriated and unapi^ropriated waters of 

Blacksmith Fork River 33 

6. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of 

South Fork of Little Bear River 34 

7. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of 

East Fork of Little Bear River 34 

8. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated w^aters of 

Cub River 36 

9. Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River. 41 

10. Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, inclusive of Bear River. 42 

11. Bear River at Collinston, Utah .' 44 

12. Narrows of Ogden River 45 

13. Diagram illustrating inflow and outflow of Ogden Valley 46 

7 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Department of the Interior, 
United States Geological Survey, 

Division of Hydrography, 

Washington, April 13, 1897. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper entitled Seepage 
Waters of Northern Utah, b}^ Samuel Fortier, professor of irrigation 
engineering at the Agricultural College at Logan, Utah. The facts 
herein presented are based upon field work carried on mainl}^ during 
the summer of 1806, and have special value in illustrating conditions 
which prevail to a greater or less degree throughout all irrigated 
lands, especiall}^ within inclosed valle3\s or on long, narrow drainage 
systems. 

One of. the matters which most complicate and embarrass the 
adjudication of water rights and the strict enforcement of priorities 
of appropriation arises from the fact that a considerable volume of 
water available for irrigation during the critical season of the j^ear, 
when the crops are maturing, comes from the seepage from lands 
higher upstream to which water has been applied earlier in the year. 
In some cases these lands have been irrigated in defiance of a strict 
construction of the law regarding the i3riorit3'' of right to use water, 
but it has been claimed that sucli use, instead of being a detriment 
to the lands below, has been a benefit, and, in fact, that there has 
been more water available in consequence of this use than could other- 
wise be had. The determination of these matters requires careful 
measurement and study in each case, but the work of Professor For- 
tier serves to indicate what may be expected under similar conditions 
and illustrates methods applicable to this examination. 
Very respectfully, 

F. H. Newell, 
Hydrograplier in Charge. 
Hon. Charles D. Walcott, 

Director United States Geological Survey. 

9 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH: 



By Samuel Fortier. 



LOCATION AND PURPOSE OF TIIF INVESTIGATION. 

The term " seepage water" is used by tiie irrigators of the West to 
designate the water which reaches the lowest grounds or the stream 
channels, swelling the latter by imperceptible degrees and keeping up 
the flow long after the rains have ceased and the snow has melted. 
The word "seepage" is applied particularlj^ to the water which begins 
to appear in spots below irrigation canals and cultivated fields, usuallj^ 
some months or even years after irrigation has been introduced, and 
which tends to convert the lowlands into marshes and gives rise to 
springs, which in turn may be employed in watering other fields. 

The importance of a thorough knowledge of the behavior of seep- 
age water is obvious when consideration is given to the close relation- 
ship whicli exists between the available water suj^ptyand the material 
prosperity of the arid region where irrigation is practiced. This is 
particularly true of Utah, where every readily available source of 
supply has long since been utilized and Avhere the rapidly increasing- 
agricultural population necessitates the complete utilization of all 
fresh waters. 

The measurements and investigations of seepage water described in 
this paper have been confined mainly to Cache Valley, being included 
within three counties in northern Utah, Weber, Boxelder, and Cache, 
and one count}^, Oneida, in Idaho. The conditions may be taken as 
fairly typical of those in the entire State, and to a less extent of those 
of adjacent States. A full knowledge of the seepage water Avill be 
of inestimable value in the development of Cache Valle}- , owing to 
the conditions now existing. The towns and farming communities 
were settled for the most part from 30 to 40 years ago. The tribu- 
taries of Bear River have supplied all irrigating waters, and many of 
the ditches and canals have water rights extending over a period of 
30 years. These early ditches were the first built to divert water from 
Bear River and its tributaries, and according to the law of prior 
appropriation which j^re vails in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho, the three 
States through which Bear River flows, the early canals of Cache 
Valley have water rights prior to all others. Boxelder Countj^ has 

11 



12 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. 

at least a quarter of a million acres of fertile irrigable land, and with 
tlie exception of Boxelder Creek, Willard Creek, and other small 
streams whose aggregate summer flow does not exceed 40 second-feet, 
it is entirely dependent uj^on Bear River for the water necessary to 
irrigate its extensive area. 

The time is not far distant when conflicts over water rights must 
arise between the irrigators of these counties, and it is therefore 
highh^ imjDortant to collect and record now all the i^hj^sical data pos- 
sible pertaining to the capacities of the irrigating ditches, the areas 
watered b}^ each, and the general behavior of all sources of supply. 
To put off the collection of such facts until litigation has begun, and 
to attempt to render court decisions uj)on the conflicting testimony of 
interested witnesses only, is full of danger. Moreover, a stud}^ of the 
hydrography^ of Bear River and its tributaries is complicated, owing 
to the fact that three States obtain water from this one source. Dur- 
ing the next drought mau}^ of the irrigators of northern Utah are liable 
to suffer serious loss from a scarcity of water in Bear River, caused by 
its diversion through canals in Wyoming and Idaho. If the law of 
prior appropriation is to be accepted for interstate priorities, it is of 
the utmost importance that all existing water rights be clearly deflned. 

There is still another important question which such work maj^ aid 
in solving. It may be stated thus: Hoav much of the water diverted 
and utilized in the upper valleys returns to the river channel in time 
to be diverted by lower irrigators? On account of variations in 
climate, soil, and topography, the results obtained in one section may 
be worthless when applied to others, and the only way to determine 
the behavior of irrigating waters is to make the necessary measure- 
ments in each valley. Until this work is at least partially accom- 
plished there can be neither a just nor a permanent apportionment 
of appropriated waters. 

The facts upon which this paper is based were obtained during 
investigations made in the summer of 189G. In this work the writer 
was ably assisted by Messrs. J. L. Rhead, Tliomas 11. Humj)hreys, 
and John S. Baker. The expenses were borne jointlj^ bj^ the Utah 
Agricultural Experiment Station, tlie Division of Hydrography of the 
United States Geological Survej^ and the board of count}^ commis- 
sioners of Cache County, Utah. Owing to the large cost of transporta- 
tion, it was necessary to conflne the greater part of tlie work to Cache 
County, Utah. In Cache Valley, which comprises the cultivated por- 
tions of this county and the southeastern part of Oneida Count}^, Idaho, 
the field operations consisted in the measurement of every stream 
flowing into the valley at three different times during the season ; also 
the determination of the capacitj^ of every ditch and canal in the same 
valley at least three times, and accurate current-meter measurements 
and daily records of the outflow of the valley through " The Narrows" 
on Bear River. While this work was in progress an attemi)t was also 



U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURV EY 




AGE BASIN O 



FORTiKH] ORIGIN OF SEEPAGE WATERS. 13 

made to locate the head gate aud determine approximately tlie route 
of each ditch and canal. The results of such surveys are reproduced 
in the accompanjang map (PL I). The progress of the lield Avork 
throughout the season is fairly well shown by the number of streams 
and canals measured each montli. From June 15 to 30, 1890, there 
were 58 measurements ; in July, 131; in August, 112; in September, 
106; and in October, 19; nuiking a total of 420. 

The chief object which the writer liad in mind in jnaking a i^artial 
hj^drographic survey of Cache Valley was to determine, if possible, 
by daily and semi weekly gagings, the ratio existing between the inflow 
(diminished by the volumes used in irrigation) and tlie outflow. This 
ratio being known for a continuous period of three months, an ox^por- 
tunity is afforded to comi^are the loss of Avater due to evaporation 
with the gain due to seepage. Other objects held in view, of minor 
importance to the student of hydrography but possessing great value 
to the irrigator, were the average flow of the various ditches and 
canals, the amount of the surplus waters of the larger streams, and 
the duty of the irrigating waters. 

There are several hundred natural and artificial water channels 
in Cache Valley if the main laterals are included. It is safe to 
assert that prior to June 15, 1896, less than six measurements had 
been made of these canals and streams. This record does not include 
the work done since 1889 by the United States Geological Survey, 
which perhaps comprises fifty stream measurements in Cache Valley 
alone. It was thought that if each canal and small stream were meas- 
ured first in June, then during the latter part of July, and lastly 
about September 1, the results of the three measurements Avould repre- 
sent, with some exceptions, the greatest, medium, and least flow dur- 
ing the season, and that the average of the three results might be 
taken as tlie average flow of such canal or creek. 

ORIGIN OF SEEPAGK WATERS. 

The water contained in the open spaces occurring in clay, sand, 
gravel, and other materials of which soils and subsoils are composed, 
is known by various names, such as soil moisture, ground water, 
ground storage, sul)surface supply, and the like. When this ground 
water moves down an inclined stratum of i)orous materials, the term 
seepage water seems to be more appropriate than that of ground flow, 
which many Avriters have recently used. Seepage water convej^s the 
idea of lateral motion, but when one uses the terms '"soil moisture," 
"ground water," or "underground water," this concei)tion is usually 
not implied. 

The water content in dry soils may be so small as to admit of only 
a slight vertical movement due to the forces of capillarity and evap- 
oration. On the other hand, portions of soils and subsoils may be 
completely saturated, but so located that the water confined therein 



14 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. 

is stagnant. In sncli cases tliere can l!)e no lateral flow. Seepage 
waters as herein defined may be regarded as coming from three 
sources, which, however, are not always distinct: (1) from nnculti- 
vated hillsides and mountain slopes; (2) from irrigated land; (3) 
from the beds and side slopes of Abater channels. 

It will be readily understood that a comijlete determination of the 
quantity of water which comes from that which is stored in the ground, 
on any particular drainage basin, involves more than a lyuowledge of 
the results of the stream measurements made in such basin. It is pos- 
sible, for example, to ascertain with considerable accuracy the amount 
of surface Avater which flovrs into a vallej^, the volume used in irriga- 
tion, and the outflow, but Avithout knoAvledge of the losses occasioned 
by CA^aporation, the problem of seex)age Avaters is indeterminable. 
For the Avant of much necessary information in relation to the pre- 
cipitation and evai)oration of northern Utah, there is herewith intro- 
duced in outline some of the more recent observations made elseAvhere 
in connection AAith the quantities of Avater evaporated from Avater 
surfaces and from ground surfaces or transjjired from plant foliage. 

In examining the Avater supply of any section, such as Cache Yalley, 
it is desirable to begin Avitli a study of the rainfall. If the complete 
history of each raindroj) or snowflake Avere knoAvn from the time it 
falls to the ground until it again returns, in the form of A^apor, to the 
atmosphere, Avater problems could be readily solved. The total a^oI- 
ume of Avater Avhich falls as rain or snoAv on any particular watershed 
may be subdivided into four parts, Avliich A^ary Avidely in accordance 
with local conditions. Of these, one i^ortion runs off the surface and 
fills the streams, especially during the spring months; a second sinks 
into the soils and subsoils, enters the fissures of rocks, is absorbed 
by ijorous strata, such as sandstones, and is the chief source from 
Avhicli Avells and springs derive their supplies and streams their late 
summer and autumn discharges; a third part of the annual i^re- 
cipitation is CA^aporated from ground and water surfaces; and tlie 
fourth part develops plant groAvth. From the standpoint of the 
farmer, that portion utilized in dcA^eloping plant groAvth is the most 
important. Cultivated i^lants are chiefly dependent on the Avater 
Avhich sinks into the ground; hence the importance of the latter to 
the irrigator. 

RelatiA^ely too mucli attention has been given to the surplus flow 
in springtime and too little to that deriA'ed from ground storage. A 
reference to Logan River may serve to illustrate the diiference between 
that portion of the rainfall which rushes off the surface of drainage 
basins, either Avhen snoAv melts in spring or Avhen cloud-bursts occur 
in summer, and that Avhich sinks into the porous coA^ering of the 
mountain slopes to issue later as the Aoav from the ground storage, 
maintaining the streams during the late summer and autumn months. 
During Jujie, July, and August of 1S1):>, the rainfall as measured at 



rOKTlER.] 



PRECIPITATION. 



15 



L06AN 



DlIiJI 



2or 



the Exx)erinieut Statiou on the basin of Logan River was only one- 
fourth inch. The snow on 
the mountain ranges had all 
melted before the end of July, 
yet on the 3d of SeiJtember 
there was a flow in Logan 
River of 250 second-feet. 
Where did this supply come 
from? The slight rainfall 
need not be taken into ac- 
count, for it is safe to assume 
that an amount man}^ times 
greater than the rainfall was 
evaporated. It could not 
have come from melted sikjw, 
because the snow had disai3- 
peared as vapor, had run off, 




18 



16 



14 



SALT LAKE 



liHI III 



in 



3| 

HEBER 




: ILlilll 




2CQttt>:z^oth>0 
FiG.l 



or had sunk into the ground 
long before the expiration of 
the time named. The only 
available source was the flow 
from the ground storage; in 
other words, the seepage from 
the mountain slopes. 

PRECIPITATION. 

The records from a number 
of important localities where 
the observations are most reli- 
able have been tabulated by 
Mr. James Dry den, meteor- 
ologist of the Utah Experi- 
ment Station. These records 
extend over past i:)eriods var}"- 
ing from three to thirty- three 
years, and represent quite 
accurately the precii)itation 
on the' valleys and table lands. 

The diagi-ams and tables 
herein given are compiled 
principally from information 
obtained from Mr. Drj^den. 
Fig. 1 is a graphic represe^n- 



12 



10 



Diagram showing 
mean monthly rainfall 

in inches at stations in tatiou of the precipitation f or 

Utah. -, ^r^ . ^t 

each month of the j^ear at 
each of five northern stations. At Corinne, Boxelder County, the 
month of greatest rainfall for twenty-five years has been December, 



I E3456 789IOJI!2i 

Fig . 3.— Diagram showing 
mean annual rainfall in 
inches at 1^ stations in 
Utah. 



16 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[no. 7. 



averaging 1.8 inclies. January, February, March, April, and May 
have remained nearly constant at about 1.25 inches each, while the 
dry months have been June, July, August, and September, which have 
not averaged one-half inch each. This distribution of the annual 
precipitation is typical of nearly every section of Utah. A glance at 
the diagrams of fig. 1 is sufficient to show that June, July, August, 
and September are the dry months, and as these constitute the greater 
part of the period between seed time and harvest, the rain evidently 
falls at the Avrong time. 

Salt Lake County, as represented by the rainfall of the city of Salt 
Lake, has averaged during the past thirty years 16.53 inches, but 
during the four summer months, beginning June 1, the total average 
rainfall has been less than 3 inches. From 1870 to 1895, AYeber 
County, as rei)resented by the station at Ogden, has had an average 
annual precipitation of 14.02 inches, but the four summer months 
have not averaged one-half inch. The diagram at the bottom of fig. 1 
gives the mean monthly precipitation foi- the State as obtained by 
averaging the results of the more important stations scattered in vari- 
ous parts and located at different altitudes. This exhibits the deficient 
rainfall during June and the gradual increase through July, August, 
and September. Fig. 2 gives the average annual precii3itation at 
twelve important stations, these being arranged in a general geo- 
graphic order from north to south, the most northerly being Logan, 
in Cache County, and the most southerly St. George, in Washington 
County, in the southwestern corner of the State. The numbers at the 
bottom of the figure refer to the stations named in the table below. 

The following table gives for the 12 selected stations the approxi- 
mate elevation above sea level, the length of the record in years, and 
the mean annual rainfall during this time : 



3Iea7i annual rainfall at 12 stations in Utah. 



O be 



Place. 



County. 



Above sea 
level. 



Length of 

record in 

years. 



Mean an- 
nual rain- 
fall. 



Logan 

Corinne 

Ogden 

Salt Lake 

Heber 

Fort Duchesne 

Levan 

Fillmore 

Moab 

Loa 

Parowan 

St. George 



Cache 

Boxelder 

Weber _ 

Salt Lake 

Wasatch ... _ . 

Uinta 

Juab 

Millard 

Grand 

Wayne . 

Iron 

Washington... 



Feet. 

4,500 
4,332 
4,340 
4,354 
5,500 
4,941 
5, 100 
5,100 
3,900 
6.900 
5,970 
2,880 



5 
26 
26 

33 
3 

8 

7 



Inches. 

13.81 
11.73 
14.02 
16. 53 
16. 97 

6.35 
18.45 
13.60 

6.95 

6.28 
12.55 

6.31 



FOKTIKK.] 



EVAPORATION. 



17 



Below is given the mean monthly rainfall for tlie same period : 
Mean monthly precipitation at tivelve stations in Utah. 



Place. 

Logan 

Corinne -- 

Ogden. --- 

Salt Lake City 

Hebei* 

Fort Duchesne — 

Levan 

Fillmore 

Moab 

Loa 

Parowan 

St. George 



Jan. 



1.55 

1.27 

1.65 

1.46 

3.89 

.38 

1.63 

1.47 

.68 

.57 

1.37 

1.01 



Feb. 



1.53 
1.36 
1.51 
1.31 
3.16 

.50 
L83 
L68 

.73 

.74 
1.56 

.91 



Mar. 



2.05 
1.29 
1.57 
3.01 
2 15 

.71 
2.33 
L65 

.86 

.63 
2.03 

.60 



Apr. 



1.12 
1.12 
1.47 
2 24 

1.01 
77 

2 33 

3.35 
.33 
.15 

1 35 
.37 



May. 



3.06 

1.12 

1.49 

1.76 

.95 

.79 

2.07 

1.11 

.33 

.;« 

, 95 
.33 



June. 



.78 
.58 
.58 
.78 
.35 
.25 
.69 

.5:3 

.08 
.08 
.17 
.03 



July. 



.44 
.35 
.55 
.75 

.48 
.40 
.51 
.64 
.87 
L,09 
.33 



Aug. 



.31 
.31 
.40 
.75 
.61 
.63 
.77 
.83 
.51 
1.08 
1.06 
.39 



Sept. 



1.60 
.63 



.91 



.60 



.49 

1.04 

.41 



Oct. 

.36 

.84 

1.42 

1.60 

.94 

.24 

1.04 

.45 

.43 

.46 

.71 

.31 



Nov. 



Dec. 



1.55 

1.80 
1.88 
1.68 
3.28 

.77 
3.32 
1.41 
1.07 

.45 
1.00 
1.38 



More than the usual amount of rain fell in Cache Valley during 
1896, as shown by the following table, which gives tlie precipitation 
for June, July, August, and September of that year, and also the 
averages of all past records for the same months: 

Precipitatio}i at Logan, Utah, for four months. 



June 

July 

August 

September . 

Total 



1896. 



Inches. 
0.46 
1.40 
1.49 
0.91 



4.26 



Prior to 
1896. 



Inches. 

0.78 
0.27 
0.21 
1.60 



2.86 



EVAPORATION. 

Many tests have been made in different parts of the world to ascer- 
tain the amount of water evaporated from water surfaces. The util- 
ization of this information is, however, limited chiefly to hydraulic 
engineers who wish to determine the losses from reservoir and lake 
surfaces. A knowledge of the actual volumes of water evaporated 
from such surfaces is of little direct value to Western irrigators, for 
the reasons that the operating^iorces are entirel}^ beyond their control 
and the evaporated water is borne away b}^ the prevailing winds. It 
might be some satisfaction to know that the evaporation from the sur- 
face of Great Salt Lake was onl}^ GO inches yearly Instead of 80 inches, 
as some would have us believe; but that knowledge alone might not 
enable us to reclaim an additional acre of land in Utah, although the 
difference of 20 inches yearly over the entire surface of the lake would 

IRR 7 2 



1 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. 



comprise a volume of water sufficient to irrigate a million acres. 
There is good reason to believe that little of the moisture withdrawn 
from the Utah lakes returns in the form of rain or snow within the 
confines of the State. Tooele County borders on Great Salt Lake, 
but with a probable annual evaporation of 6 feet near its shore line, 
the parched soil receives yearly on an average only about 6 inches 
from rainfall. 

Comparatively few measurements of evaporation have been made 
in Utah. The most important were those carried on at the reservoir 
in the rear of Fort Douglas, immediately east of the city of Salt Lake. 




Fig. ;?.— Evaporating pan and .scale. 

These observations are mentioned in the Eleventh Annual Report of 
the L'nited States Geological Survey, Part IT, on pages 'SO to '34:, and the 
I'esults are given briefly in the Fourteenth Annual Report, page 154. 
Similar measurements were made for a few months at Provo and 
Nephi. 

The apparatus u.sed by the Geological Survey in making observa- 
tions of evaporation consists of a galvanized-iron pan 3 feet square 
and 10 inches deep, immersed in water and kept from sinking by means 
of floats of wood or hollow metal. Into this pan water is poured until 
the surface is within from 1 to 2 inches of the top, the attempt being 



FORTiEK] EVAPORATION. 19 

made to keep the pan as full as possible without spilling over the 
edge. The temperature of tlie water inside the i)an has been found 
by experience to be practically uniform with that of the surrounding 
water in the ditch or pond in which the pan is placed, varying from 
it usually not more than 1 or 2 degrees. If the pan is kept full, so 
that the edge or rim does not offer an obstruction to the wind, the 
evaporation from the surface inside the pan should be approximately 
the same as that from the surface of the water outside. 

The amount of water evaporated is determined by measuring the 
decrease in height of water, observations being usually taken once or 
sometimes twice a da}^ These are made by means of a brass scale 
hung in the middle of the pan and provided with diagonal bars upon 
which the reading is magnified about three times. ' By the use of this 
scale it is i;)ossible to read differences in vertical height of one one-hun- 
dredth of an inch. This method of observing the height of water is 
probably not so good as that by means of a hook gage, but is some- 
what simj)ler and the apparatus is less exi^ensive. An improvement^ 
has been proposed, consisting of a rod fixed rigidly in the center of 
the pan and rising to within 1 or 2 inches of the top. Water is put into 
the pan until the point of this rod is about to be submerged, as shown 
by the meniscus. As the water evaporates more is added by means of 
a tin cup made of such capacity that one cupful is equivalent to a 
depth of one one-hundredth of an inch on the surface of the pan. 
The observer has only to record the number of times the cup is filled 
and emptied into the i^an. 

The following table gives the results of the measurements at Fort 
Douglas, the observations beginning on August 23, 1889, and ending 
in May, 1893. They were made by a soldier, Charles M. Lowry, 
detailed for the purpose. Owing to numerous disturbing influences, 
such as heavy wind splashing Avater into the pan or rainfall adding 
to the quantity, or, during winter, the freezing of the surface, it was 
rarely possible to continue observations consecutively for more than 
a few days at a time. The table gives, therefore, the number of days 
in eacli month during which fairly reliable results were obtained, and 
also the average of these daily observations. This average is assumed 
to be that for all the days of the month, and is therefore multiplied 
by the number of these to obtain the approximate monthly total. 



1 Physical data and statistics of California, 1886, p 373. 



20 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 

Evaporation at Fort Douglas, Utah, in inches. 



[NO. 7. 



Month. 


1889. 


1890. 


1891. 


1892. 


1893. 


1 


II 


3 

o 


1 


11 


1 
o 




13 


1 


CO 

>> 


IS 


1 


02 


IS 


1 


March 




















15 

14 

25 
26 
10 
25 
15 
10 


.087 
.075 
.132 

:2n 

.235 
.174 
.068 
.055 


2.1 
2.3 
4.1 
5.3 
6.5 
7.3 
5.2 
2.1 
1.6 








April 




j 




123 
.133 
.170 
.240 
.210 
.153 
068 
041 


3.7 
4.1 
5,1 
7 6 
6.5 
4.6 
2.1 
1.2 


19 
15 
22 
10 
20 
17 
15 
15 


.107 
.153 
.174 
.246 
.210 
.174 
.081 
.047 


3.2 
4.8 
5.2 
7.6 
6.5 
5.2 
2.5 
1.4 


3 

8 


.083 
.169 


2.5 

5.2 


May 










June 










July 








16 
20 
23 
21 

18 








August 

September _ . . 

October 

November _ . . 


11 
18 

3 


.340 
.190 
.1.57 
.035 


10.5 
5.7 
4.9 
1.0 

































Observations were f^onducted in a similar manner at Provo during 
a portion of the month of October, 1880, giving an average daily evap- 
oration of 0.10 inch, and at Nephi, at intervals during a part of the 
same year, giving a mean daily evaporation for June of 0.13 inch; for 
July, 0.16 inch; for August, 0.15 inch, and for September, 0.10 inch. 
Similar fragmentary results have been obtained for localities in other 
parts of the West.^ The longest series, however, is that begun in 1887 
by Prof. L. G. Carpenter at the Experiment Station at Fort Collins, 
Colorado. The evaporating pan at this place is 3 feet square and 3 
feet deep, sunk into the ground, the height of Avater being measured 
by means of a hook gage. The results have been published only up 
to the end of 1891.^ 





Monthly evaporation 


it Fort Collins, 


Colorado 


in inches 






Year. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


Jniy. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Total. 


1887 


2.46 


3.23 


4.60 


5. 55 


5.19 
4.45 

3.72 
4.32 
5.03 


5.75 
7.70 
4.34 
5.71 
4.97 


5.« 
7.00 
5.20 
5.44 
5.72 


4.24 
4.06 
5.15 
5.76 
4.90 


4.13 
3.94 
5.19 
3.69 
4.12 


3.26 
2.17 
3.28 
2.71 
3.62 


1.48 
1.35 
0.62 
1.32 
1.73 


1.60 
0.99 
1.42 
1.10 
0. 75 


46.71 


1888 


1889 


1.09 
0.86 
1.20 


1.03 
2.36 
2.79 


2 75 
3.48 
2.23 


4.06 
3.50 
2 24 


37.83 
40.24 
39.12 


1890 


1891 









At the experiment station located at Laramie, Wyoming, Prof. J. D. 
Conley noted a total evaporation from April 17 to October 22, 1895, of 
37.02 inches, distributed as follows: April 17-30, 2.53; May, 7.33; 
June, 6.24; July, 7.20; August, 6.07; September, 4.91; October 1-22, 
2.62 inches. In this test the evaporation Avas measured by means of 
a hook gage within a tank lined with galvanized iron, and holding 
when full a cubic meter of water, ^ 

Prof. T. Russell, in the Monthly Weather Review for September, 

• Eleventh Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Part II, p. 34. 

2 Fourth Ann. Rept State Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colorado, 1891, p. 53. 
^ University of Wyoming Experiment Station Bulletin No. 27, March, 1896, Meteorology for 
1895, p. 15. 



FOKTIER.] 



EVAPORATION. 



21 



1888, gives the results of one year's observations, from July 1, 1887, to 
June 30, 1888, of the Piclie evaporonieter. 

From tliis article are obtained the following- figures, wliieh give the 
computed evaporation in inches at several points: 

Estimated depth of evaporation in incheti. 



Station. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


March. 


April. 


May. 


June. July. 


Salt Lake, Utah ..- 

Boise City, Idaho 

Winneiniacca, Nev 

Denver, Colo 


1.8 
1.6 
0.9 
3.8 
3.3 
1.1 
3.0 
4.4 


3.7 
3.5 

3.8 

11 

3.G 
3.4 
5. 3 


3.6 

3.8 
6.3 
3.5 
4.0 
3.1 
4.3 
6.6 


7.3 
6.1 
9.1 
7.6 
8.3 
6.1 
6.8 
9.6 


6.9 

6.5 
9.3 
5.8 
5.3 
4.3 
8.8 
9.6 


8.9 
6.6 
10.1 
10. 5 
10.4 
5.5 
13.9 
13.6 


9.2 
10.0 

n.5 

8.3 
8.0 
7.3 
9.3 
11,0 


Cheyenne, Wy o 

Helena Mont 


Santa Fe, N. Mex 




Station. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


12 mos. 
evapo- 
ration. 


Precipi- 
tation 
in 1888. 


Salt Lake, Utah . 

Boise City. Waho. 

Winnemucca, Nev 


10.7 
9.3 
13.0 

8.5 
7.7 
7.7 
9.8 
10.3 


9.6 
7.4 
9.9 
6.1 
8.6 
6.4 
6.6 
8.3 


6.5 
5.3 
6.6 
4.9 

5.8 
4.3 
6.7 

8.3 


5.0 
3.3 
3.7 
4.3 
6.1 
3.0 
5.7 
5. 5 


3.3 
1.8 
1.8 
3.1 
3.5 
3.1 
3.7 
4.6 


74.4 
63.9 
83.9 
69.0 
76.5 
53.4 
79.8 
95.7 


13.63 
11.09 
4.89 
9.51 
14.51 
10.14 

13. as 

3. 95 


Cheyenne, .Wyo 

Helena, Mont 


Santa Fe,N.Mex 





An estimate of the total amount of yearl}^ evaporation from Av^ater 
surfaces in this State, based on the foregoing facts, would vary from 
3 to 6 feet in depth, depending upon the temperature, frequency, and 
velocit}^ of the winds, dryness of the atmosphere, and like conditions. 
From the same data w^e may conclude that, generall}^ speaking, the 
evaporation during the four months of May, June, Jul}^, and August, 
or, in other words, the irrigation period of this section, is equal to 
that of the remaining eight months. 

The comparative! j^ large loss b}' the j^earlj^ evaporation from wet 
ground surfaces of the Western States is of far greater importance 
than the evaporation Avhich takes place at water surfaces, for the rea- 
son that, in a measure, it can be controlled by man. Such conserva- 
tion of the obtainable water supply results in having available a 
balance which can be utilized in reclaiming desert land and in increas- 
ing the productions of land now cultivated. 

One of the cheapest and most effective methods of cliecking excess- 
ive evaporation is cultivation. In this regard Utah irrigators have 
an important lesson j^et to learn. The custom of the majority is to 
apply large quantities of water to growing crops, making a paste of 
the top soil. In less than twentj-four hours the water in this top 
layer is evaporated, leaving the ground hard and baked. Under such 



22 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. 

conditions it is astonishing how rapidly the soil moisture is evapo- 
rated. If this top crust is left undisturbed for a few days, the soil 
becomes parched, the crops apparently suffer for lack of moisture, 
and the unskilled irrigator fancies the only remedy is to apply more 
water. 

With the most careful attention while irrigating, it is not possible 
always to X3reveut the formation of paste by the mixture of fine soil 
and water and the subsequent baking ; but the robbing the soil of its 
moisture through excessive evaporation can be avoided hy breaking 
up the surface crust as soon as it forms and by keeping the surface 
laj^er thoroughly pulverized, thus effectivel}' checking evaporation in 
even the hottest weather. 

Recent experiments have shown that evaporation from the surface 
of soil can be greatly decreased bj" mulching. The effect, for example, 
of a 3-incli layer of broken, compacted oat straw, spread evenly over 
the surface of a strawberry field in Minnesota, was to decrease the 
evaporation by 005 barrels per acre, and the gain in moisture to the 
soil of a vineyard by a similar treatment was 1,600 barrels per acre, 
sufficient to cover the entire surface to a depth of nearly 2 inches.^ 

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that wind is a jDrime factor in 
increasing evaporation from both ground and water surfaces. While 
it is true that the frequency, course, and velocity of the winds lie 
beyond the control of tlie agriculturist, yet by planting suitable trees 
to form wind-breaks within and around cultivated fields, much bene- 
fit maj^ be gained. The foliage of the trees will decrease the temi3era- 
ture, increase the humidity of the air, and break the force of the 
w^ind. 

Perhaps the most complete test of the amount of water evaporated 
from soil and water surfaces was made in England by Charles 
Greaves,^ M. Inst. Civ. Eng. His results are summarized bj^ Fanning 
as follows: 

The raean annual rainfall during the time (1860 to 1873) was 27.7 inches. The 
annual evaporations from soil were — minimum, 12.07 inches; maximum, 25.14 
inches, and mean, 19.53 inches; from sand — minimum, 1.43 inches; maximum, 9.10 
inches, and mean, 4.G5 inches; from water — minimum, 17.33 inches; maximum, 
26.93 inches, and mean, 22.2 inches. ^^ The climatic conditions of arid America are 
so unlike those of England that the above results do not in the least apply. They 
show, however, that, other conditions being equal, the amount of evaporation from 
ground surfaces is somewhat less than from water surfaces. 

Dr. E. WoUnj^ of Munich confirms tliis view when, in summarizing 
tlie work of three years on evaporation from land surfaces, he con- 
cludes:'^ 

(1) That the quantity of moisture evaporated from the soil into the atmosphere 
is considerably smaller than that evaporated from a free surface of water. 

1 Bulletin No. 32, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. 
■^ Trans. Inst. Civ. Eng., Vol. XLV, pp. -3-29. 

» A Treatise on Hydraulic and Water-Supply Engineering, by J. T. Panning, 18S9, p. 90. 
4 Prof. E. Wollny, Forscliungen, Vol. XVIII, p. 480. Abstracted in the Monthly Weather 
Review, Department of Agricultui-e, November, 189."). ]>. 4:i2. 



FORTiER] EVAPORATION. 23 

(2) That tlie evaporation is smallest from naked sand, and largest from naked 
clay, -vvhereas naked turf and humus or vegetable mold have a medium value. 

(3) That the evaporation is increased to a considerable extent by covering the 
ground with living plants. 

(4) Evaporation is a process that depends upon both the meteorological condi- 
tions and on the quantity of moisture contained by the substratum of soil. 

(5) Among the external circumstances, temperature is of the greatest impor- 
tance, inasmuch as, in general, evaporation increases and diminishes with it; but 
this effect is modified according as the remaining factors come into play and in 
proportion to the quantity of water supplied b}^ the substratum. 

(6) The influence of higher temperature is diminished more or less by higher 
relative humidity, greater cloudiness, feebler motion of the wind, and a diminished 
quantity of moisture within the soil, whereas its influence increases under oppo- 
site conditions. 

On the other hand, low temperatures can bring about greater effects than high 
temperatures, if the air is dry, or the cloudiness small, or the wind very strong, or 
if a greater quantity of water is present within the evaporating substance. 

(7) For the evaporation of a free surface of water, or for earth that is com- 
pletely saturated with water, the important elements are, flrst, the temperature; 
next, the relative humidity of the air, and then the cloudiness and the direction 
and velocity of the wind; whereas, for the ordinary moist earth, no matter whether 
the surface is naked or covered with living plants, it is the quantity of rain upon 
which the soil depends for its moisture that is the important additional consid- 
eration. The effects of the external elements on evaporation become less 
important, as explained in paragraph 5, in proportion as the precipitation is less 
and as the soil is more completely dried out by the previous favorable weather, 
and vice versa. For these reasons the rate of evaporation from a free surface of 
water not infrequently differs largely from that from the respective kinds of soil. 

(8) Free surfaces of water and soils that are continuously saturated evax)orate 
into the atmosphere on the average more water under otherwise similar circum- 
stances than soils whether naked or covered with plants and whether watered 
artificially or naturally. Only at special times, viz, when the influence of the 
factors that favor evaporation is most intense, when the plants are in the most 
active period of growth, and when the soil contains a large percentage of water, 
can the land that is covered with plants show larger evaporating power than the 
free water surface. 

(9) When a soil that is not irrigated is covered with plants, it evaporates a far 
greater quantity of moisture than when the surface is bare. In the former case 
the evaporation can not exceed the quantity received by the soil from the atmos- 
phere before or during the period of growth. Swampy lands and those that are 
well irrigated, as also free surfaces of water, can, under circumstances favorable 
to evaporation, sometimes give to the atmosphere a greater quantitj^ of water than 
corresponds to the precipitation that occurs during the same time. 

(10) The evaporating power of the soil is, in itself, dependent upon its own 
physical properties; the less its permeability for water, or the larger its capacity 
for water and the easier it is able to restore by capillarity the moisture that has 
been lost, by so much the more intensive is the evaporation. For this reason the 
quantity evaporated increases with the percentage of clay and humus in the soil, 
whereas it diminishes in proportion as the soil is richer in sandy and coarse-grained 
materials. 

(11) Soil that is covered with plants loses by evaporation so much more water 
in proportion as the plants are better developed, or- stand thicker together, or have 
a longer period of vegetation, and vice versa. 



24 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. 

In the above summary Dr. Wolluy tonclies upon various phases of 
evaporation which have an important bearing on Western irrigation. 
At present there is little data to enable its to compare intelligently 
the results obtaiiiecl in Germany with those in this countrj^ How- 
ever, some of the Agricultural Ex]3eriment Stations are taking up this 
work, and in a few years we may hope to know much more of the 
behavior of soil moisture and ground waters and their relation to plant 
life. The main object to be attained in the artificial application of 
water to soil is to develop plant life, and as this can be accomplished 
only by creating a moist soil and subsoil, it is necessary that we 
endeavor to ascertain the greatest possible percentage of the total 
precipitation that can be used for this purpose. In this State evap- 
oration from both water and land surfaces must be regarded as one 
of the chief sources of waste, and as such deserving of careful study. 

TRANSPIRATION. 

In arid America agricultural products are almost entirely depend- 
ent upon the water supply. As a rule, the soil is fertile, containing 
in abundance the elements necessary for the development of plants; 
but if the water supply be either deficient or applied at the wrong 
time, a partial growth will result. The portions of a wheat field that 
are missed at the first irrigation seldom yield one-third of a crop. 
These dry places may be irrigated subsequently', but the second water- 
ing can not restore the shrunken cellular tissues nor the lost vigor. 
The skilled horticulturist has learned by experience and observation 
how and when to irrigate his fruit trees. AYhen the trees are j^oung, 
water Is conveyed in two furrows only, one on each side the row of 
trees and at some little distance beyond the fartliest roots. As the 
tree grows, the roots thrust themselves farther into the soil, but chieflj^ 
in the direction of the water sui)ply, and in the following season the 
two furroAvs may be increased to four, until finallj^ in well-matured 
trees, all the space of 20 feet or moi'e between the roAvs is thoroughly 
watered. By sucli a method water is not only provided for the soil, 
but is applied in such a waj' as to lead out the roots in quest of 
moisture and food. 

Much has been written recently on subirrigation, and many agri- 
cultural experiment stations liave gone so far as to i^ronounce this 
method superior to all others. By it Avater is couA^eyed through pipes 
buried in the ground and is discharged through a large number of 
small holes located opposite each tree. This mode of irrigation 
has not been successful. In the first place, it is an impossibility 
to cause water to discharge equallj^ through so manj^ orifices; and in 
the second place, the Avater is deposited at j^articular i)oints in the 
soil, around Avhicli the roots of i)lants are sooner or later massed. The 
few advantages to be gained by applying the Avater beneath the sur- 



FORTIER.l 



TRANSPIRATION. 



25 



face can not be compared to the disadvantages dne to the difficulties 
in the way of its distribution and to tlie concentration of the roots at 
particular places. 

The injurious effects upon vegetation caused bj^ either too little 
water or too much are clearly illustrated by the results of experiments 
made by Dr. E. AVollny^ on summer rape, as given in the following 
table. In this, the first column gives the per cent of water in the soil 
as compared to the total water-holding capacity. The second column 
gives the number of pods produced, and the following columns give 
the weight of the various parts: 

Effect of excess and deficiency of moisture. 



Per cent of 
water in 
the soil. 


Number of 
pods. 


Weight of plants air-dried. 


Seed, in 
gra!tn.s. 


Straw, in 
grams. 


Chaff, in 
grams. 


Total, in 
grams. 


10 


43 


1.4 


2.8 


1.4 


5.6 


20 


61 


2.4 


4.4 


2.6 


9.7 


40 


142 


6.9 


10.4 


6.7 


24.0 


60 


97 


4.3 


8.1 


4.4 


16.8 


80 


95 


3.9 


7.3 


3.9 


15. 1 


100 


19 


0.3 


2.0 


O.G 


2.9 



In growing plants in pots it is i^ossible to appl}' just the right amount 
of moisture, but on the irrigated field it is somewhat different. At 
each watering the ground is for a time nearly saturated. Part of 
this excess water is soon evaporated, either from the ground or indi- 
rectly through the foliage. Another part sinks into the subsoil, and 
the remainder keeps the soil moist. If this soil moisture can be 
maintained in the right proportion, or, in other words, if the amount 
drawn from the subsoil by capillarity equals the loss b}^ evapora- 
tion until the next watering, the crop will grow under the most 
favorable conditions as regards moisture. If too little water is 
applied to the surface and the subsoil water for some cause is inacces- 
sible, the crop will suffer and become more or less dwarfed. On the 
other hand, too much water may keep the soil near the extreme of 
complete saturation and j)roduce upon vegetation as harmful eft'ects 
as too diy a soil. A cubic foot of average soil when thoroughly sat- 
urated will contain from 25 to oO pounds of water. According to 
AVollny's exi3eriment, the ])est results were obtained on summer I'ape 
when about 40 i^er cent of the empt}^ space in the soil was filled, which 
would be equivalent to from 10 to 12 pounds of water in every cubic 
foot of soil. 

We may thus classify productive soils under three heads in relation 

1 Experiment Station Record, Vol. IV, p. 'hi2. 



26 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. 



to the percentage of moisture which each contains, a^z, as cby soils, 
moist soils, and wet soils. It may also be said that in each of these 
classes the amount of water drawn uj) by the roots and transpired by 
the leaves differs. Tlie magnitude of this transpiration of vapor 
through the foliage of plants has been investigated b}^ Messrs. King, 
WoUnj^, Hellriegel, and others, the results of whose labors are briefly 
summarized in the following tables: 

Amount of water required for a pound of dry matter in Wiscom^in.^ 



Crop. 


Year. 


Water per 

pound of 

dry matter. 


Yield per 

acre, 
pounds. 


Water per 

acre, 

inches. 


Barley 


1891 


402 


7,441 


13 


Do 


1892 


375 


14,196 


23 


Oats 


1891 


501 


8,861 


20 


Do..: 


1892 


525 


8,189 


19 


Corn 


1891 


301 


19, 845 


26 


Do... 


1892 


316 


19, 184 


25 


Clover 


1892 


564 


12,486 


30 


Pease 


1892 


477 


8,017 


17 



Ratio of water evaporated to tceiglit of crop harvested, as shown by experiments 

of Hellriegel and Wollny.^ 



Crop (Helh-iegel). 


Water 
evaporated. 


Crop iWollny ). 


Water 
evaporated. 


Horse beans 

Pease 


262 
292 
310 
330 
359 
371 
373 
377 
402 


Maize 


233 

416 

447 

490 ; 

646 

665 

774 

843 

912 


Millet - 


Barley 


Pease 


Clover 

Spring wheat 

Buckwheat 

Lupine 

Spring rye 

Oats 


Sunflower 

Buckwheat 

Oats 

Barley 


Mustard 

Rape 





According to Hellriegel, as shown by the above table, 330 tons of 
water would be absorbed b}^ the roots of clover, drawn up through 
the stems, and evaporated from the breathing pores of the leaves, for 
each ton of clover harvested. If the jaeld be estimated at 3 tons per 
acre, the quantity of Avater per acre is 9!)0 tons, or a volume sufSclent 
to cover the surface to a depth of nearlj^ 9 inches. So far as has been 
ascertained, no tests have been made in the Rocky Mountain i-egion 



' F. H. King, Apricultiaral Experiment Station, TTniversity of Wisconsin, Ninth Annual Report, 
1892. p. 94. 
'^ Department of Agriculture, Experiment Station Record, Vol. IV, p. M2. 



FORTTKH. I 



TRANSPIRATION. 27 



of the amount of water actuall}^ consumed by the various agricultural 
crops between tlie time of germination and the harvest, but obsei'ved 
facts seem to indicate that this amount varies with the conditious of 
soil moisture. 

In sections of northern Utah, where water can not be readily or 
cheaply conveyed to irrigate the land, the fields are usuall}^ sown in 
wheat and cultivated "dry," tlie annual yield being from 12 to 25 
bushels per acre. Dui'ing the period of growth the rainfall is occa- 
sionally less than 1 inch, and the soil and subsoil apparently are very 
dry. If the quantity of water consumed b,y the wheat was even one- 
third of that given by Pref. F. II. King for barley and oats, which 
averaged a depth of nearly 10 inches over the entire surface culti- 
vated, it is difficult to conjecture where the supply could come from. 

On irrigated lands tlie case is quite different. The proper amount 
of moisture is maintained in the soil, the plant is kept in a health}^, 
vigorous condition, and the normal amount of water x)asses through 
its tissues, bearing the necessarj^ mineral food furnished hy the soil. 
It is not unusual to irrigate alfalfa every other week, and to spread 
an amount of water over the surface during its x:>eriod of growth suffi- 
cient to cover the ground to a depth of 6 feet. A part of the water 
used in irrigating usually sinks into the subsoil and flows off as seep- 
age water, a second part is evaporated, and the third part, possibly 
one-third of the whole suppl}^, passes through the tissues of the plant 
and is mostly transformed into vai)or at the leaves. 

The sagebrush and grasses indigenous to the uncultivated lands 
of the Rocky Mountain region require but little moisture to maintain 
their slow growth. In the vicinity of Corinne, Boxelder Countj^ 
Utah, the average annual rainfall for the i^ast twenty-five years has 
been less than 12 (11.73) inches. Little snow remains for any length 
of time on the ground; tlie evai:)oration in summer is excessive on all 
moist ground and water surfaces; and yet sagebrush flourishes, grow- 
ing to a height of from 3 to 5 feet. If we deduct from the total j^earlj^ 
precipitation the probable amount of moisture evaporated, very little 
will remain for the use of the plants. It is possible that the total 
quantity of water absorbed by the roots of the plants that grow on 
uncultivated lands and transpired li}^ their foliage does not exceed 
one-tenth of the annual precipitation, which in this State Avould be 
about 1:^ inches over the surface of unreclaimed arable lands. On the 
preceding estimates, based on observed facts, we majr therefore con- 
clude that in this State the amount of water evaporated from the foli- 
age of plants ranges from a surface depth of 1 inch for buffalo grass 
and sagebrush to a surface depth of 20 inches for well-irrigated alfalfa. 

CACIIF. VALLEY. 

This beautiful valley is nearly surrounded by mountains. A spur 
of the Wasatch Range forms the elevated divide between it and Bear 
Lake Valley, in Rich ('Ounty, to the east, and another spur of the 



28 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [vo.T. 

same range forms the lower divide between it and Great Salt Lake 
and Malad River valleys to the west. The average elevation of the 
cultivated portion of the valley is about 4,500 feet. Its length from 
north to south varies from 40 to 50 miles, and its Avidth from east to 
Avest from 10 to 15 miles. 

Tlie fii'st wliite men who wintered in the valley were the Garr 
brothers. They Avere engaged by the authorities of the Mormon 
Church during the Avinter of 1855-56 to look after the range cattle owned 
by tliat church, and they built a rude log hut in the vicinity of what 
is noAv the church farm. In the summer of 1858 scA^eral families 
from Brigham reached the valley through Boxelder Canyon and 
made a permanent settlement in Avhat is now AYellsAille. 

According to the latest report of the Utah statistician, the poi)ula- 
tion of Cache Count}^ in March of 1895 Avas 18,28(3. The principal 
towns and cities in the order of population are: Hyde Park, 647 
inhabitants; ProA-idence, 944; LcAAiston, 969; Richmond, 1,295; 
WellsA^ille, 1,390; Smithfield, 1,448; Logan, 5,756; total, 14,249. 

Cache County contains an area of 697,600 acres, of Avhich 30,923^ 
acres were irrigated in 1889, and 38,430 ^ acres in 1894. From infor- 
mation collected during the j)ast season, sui3i)lemented by the records 
obtained by C. D. AV. Fullmer, countj^ statistician, the folloAving table 
has been prepared, giAing the approximate number of acres irrigated 
for each kind of crop in 1896. 

Approximate area irrigated in 1896. 

Acres. 

Cereals... 20,000 

Liicern, hay, etc . - - 1 15, 000 

Potatoes, beets, etc 1, 500 

Fruit trees 1 , 200 

Small fruits •. 25 

Other products '. 900 

Total. 38,625 

Tlie water utilized in irrigating the southern eud of the A^alley is 
di\^erted chiefly from New Canj'on, Little Bear, and Blacksmith Fork 
streams. Logan RiA'er, AA-ith Summit, High, and Clarkson creeks, fur- 
nish the sui^ply for the middle portion. Cub and Weston creeks are 
the chief sources of supply for the northern portion. SurA^eys for irri- 
gating canals haA^e been made to diA^ert AAater from Beai* RiAxr, in 
Cache Vallej^, but owing to the lengths of tlie proposed canals and 
the cost of construction, none has yet been built. 

The soil in the cultiA^ated portions of tlie southern end of the A^alley, 
and particularly in the A^cinity of the toAvns of Paradise, Ilj^rum, and 
Millville, consists for the most part of a rich, black, claj^ey loam. In 
the Avestern part clay, with occasional patches of alkali, predominates. 

1 Eleventh Census, Agriculture by Irrigation, F. H. Newell. 

2 First Triennial Report of the Bureau of Statistics of Utah. 



FORTIEH.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



29 



The soil in the northern and northwestern portion of the valley varies 
from coarse gravel to fine sand and cla}'. On the whole, it may be 
designated as a soil well adapted for the i:)r()duction of wheat. 

LOGAN RIVER. 

The greater i)art of the drainage basin of Logan River lies in the 
mountain range east of Cache Valley. The main source of the stream 
is quite small, and heads high on the range about 40 miles within the 
mountains; but as it flows down a steep channel toward the west its 



June, 1896. 



July, 1896. 



August, 1896. 



Sept., 1896 



15 



10 



15 20 25 



30 



10 



15 20 25 30 



10 



\ 


































' ' 




































1 
\ 


































\ 
\ 






































































\ 


































\ 
\ 

\ 


































\ 
\ 


^ 




































\ 


































\^ 


■». 




































>. 


■..^ 




































" ~~ 


-^^ 






















UN 


APP 


?OPf 


riAT 


;d 


WAT 


ERS 




"■ ^ ^ 


-'' 




".^ 
























































— ^ 


" ^ 


























A 


='PR 


)Pf?l 


ATE 


,w 


ATEI 


fS 



















1600 
15(J0 
1100 
1300 
1200 
IKXJ 

1000 ^ 

o 

r 

900 g 

5 

800 5 

w 
H 

700 o 

2 
O 



600 
500 
400 
300 
200 

la) 





Fig. 4.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Logan River. 



waters mingle with those from Temple Fork, Boss Canyon Creek, 
Spring Creek, Ricks Spring, and Right Hand Fork Creek, which, 
when united, form one of the most imx^ortant rivers in the State. 
From its head waters to where it unites with Bear River is some 50 
miles, only 10 of which lie outside rugged canyons. 

About the 1st of June, 1890, a permanent gaging station was estab- 
lished on this river a short distance below the mouth of the canvon 



30 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[no. 



and above all the canals save one, the Logan, Hyde Park and Smith- 
field. From daily river-height observations and several current meter 
measurements the flow has been accurately determined throughout 
the season. The waters used for beneficial purposes have also been 
determined by a series of measurements of each canal, and both 
results are represented graphically in fig. 4. The aggregate volume 
of all the canals is nearly 200 second-feet ; and as the discharge of the 
river at the mouth of Logan Canyon during a dry season may be 
less than that amount, the apparent large surplus of last summer, 
Avhich averaged during the month of August, 1896, 222 second-feet, 
is not to be depended upon. 



Irrigating canals diverting icater from Logan River. 



Name of canal or ditch. 



June. 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 



Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield 

Canal- --- - --- 

Logan and Richmond Canal 

Providence Canal.. \ 12 

Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher j 

Canal - - -i 1^ 

Nursery Canal ,--- 

Logan and Benson Ward Canal 1 12 

West Field or Little Ditch L - - 



34.5 
60.4 
5.4 

«48.9 



July. 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 



«25.0 



47.5 
69.1 

8.2 

^27.0 
2.4 
23.9 
11.6 



August. 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 



31 



September. 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 



30.1 
50.1 



27.5 



a Estimated. 



The Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal was completed in 
June, 1882. Its head gate is located about 1^ miles above the mouth 
of the canyon, and at an elevation of 326 feet above the business cen- 
ter of Logan City. In July, 1892, the writer, as the consulting engi- 
neer of the city corporation, advised the abandonment of tlie old 
source of supply, and recommended that the future source be the 
Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal, until funds were available 
to extend the conduit to the river. Logan City now gets its domestic 
water supply from that canal, and owns 26f per cent of its paid-up 
capital stock. The canyon portion of the canal was never properly 
constructed, and the loss through leakage is very great. On August 
31, 1893, the discharg(^ at the head gates, as measured by the writer, 
was 18 second-feet. At a point 7,000 feet lower down the volume had 
been decreased, on account of waste, to 26.7 second-feet, a loss of 21.3 
second-feet, or 11 i)er cent of the volume diverted. The area irri- 
gated since 1892 has not varied to any appreciable extent, and the 
following table gives the figures for the three preceding years: 



FOKTiEK.] LOGAN RIVER. 

Area irrigated by Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal. 



31 



Year. 


Farm lands. 


City lots. 


Total. 


1890. 


Acres. 

2,184 
2,409 

2,785 


JSumber. 

a 63 
163 
169 


Acres. 
2, 310 
2, 735 
3, 123 


1891 


1892... :... 



rf A city lot is equivalent to 2 acres of farm land. 

The Logan and Richmond Irrigating Oouiijany was organized in 
November, 1864, and the canal was built in 1865-18G7. The records 
of the company show that the land irrigated by tliis canal in 1878 was 
1,400 acres of farm lands and 195 city lots, but the capacity of the 
canal was considerably increased in 1881, and more lamd was reclaimed 
at its lower terminus in the vicinity of the town of Smithfield. The 
areas irrigated by this canal in 1895 are as given below: 

Area irrigated by Logan and Richmond Canal. 



Precinct. 



Logan 

Hyde Park 
Smithfield. 

Total 



Farm lands. 


City lots. 


Total. 


Acres. 


Number. 


Acres. 


897 


214 


1,325 


610 


50 


711 


1,240 





1,239 


2,747 


264 


3,275 



Providence Canal is the only irrigating s^^stem of any considerable 
size which diverts w^ater from the south or left bank of Logan River. 
It was begun in 1866, but owing to the fact that the locating engineer 
set pegs on an ascending grade from the proposed i^lace of diversion, 
and the water would not flow uiohill, the enterprise was abandoned 
until 1883, when the necessary changes in the elevations were made 
and the canal completed. The cost of maintenance has always been 
high, owing to faulty location and steep hillsides, averaging about 
1250 per annum, and the area irrigated since 188o has not varied far 
from 300 acres. 

Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher Canal was begun in the spring of 
1860. It is the oldest in Cache Valley, and was the first to divert 
water from Bear River or its tributaries. The primary object held in 
view bj^the original projectors was to irrigate wheat lands, but several 
mill owners obtained j)ermission to widen the canal sufficiently to 
furnish them with a supply for power purposes. A portion of the 
flow has been so employed ever since, but the tail water from the mills 



32 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. 

is nearly all subsequently used in irrigation. The canal branches at 
Sixth street, the upper branch extending to Hyde Park, the lower to 
a portion of Logan City. The acreage irrigated in 18(30 was about 700 
acres, and there has been a nearly uniform increase from that time to 
the present. Of late years the total number of acres irrigated by both 
branches of the canal has averaged about 2,115, of which 1,215 acres 
are located in Hyde Park and the remainder in Logan. 

Logan and Benson Ward Canal has its headgates near the business 
center of Logan. The date of its w^ater appropriation extends back 
to 1861. The extent of land at jjresent irrigated by this canal includes 
856 acres in Benson AVard and 2,150 acres in Logan precinct. 

West Field, or Little Ditch, takes its supply from the tailraces of 
the mills and from Logan River at the city park. The first branch 
was made in the sirring of 1860. The ditch flows into Spring Creek 
pond and receives a portion of its supply from this last source. The 
area irrigated in late years is 1,100 acres. 

The average combined capacity of the 6 canals enumerated above 
was, for June, 1896, 188.8 second-feet; for July, 183.3 second-feet; for 
August, 157.6 second-feet; and for September, 131.5 second-feet. 
Comparing this with the aggregate area irrigated — 12,920 acres— it 
appears that the duty of Avater per second-foot in June was 68.4 acres; 
in July, 70.1 acres; in August, 81.9 acres; and in September, 98.3 
acres. 

BLACKSMITH FORK RIVER. 

This stream rises in a range of the Wasatch Mountains which sepa- 
rates Cache Valley from Rich County, flows in a northwesterly direc- 
tion, and empties into Logan River. Its total length is about 35 
miles. The average depth of compacted snow near the sources of this 
stream in February and March is about 4^ feet, and as the greater 
part of this snow melts during the month of May and the early part 
of June, the spring floods are excessive in proi)ortion to the comjiara- 
tively small area drained. 

The discharge of this stream at a point a short distance below the 
mouth of Blacksmith Fork Canyon from June 15 to September 15, 
1896, and the combined flow of all the irrigating canals diverting 
water therefrom are represented graphically in fig 5. The maximum 
volume of water appropriated and utilized is therein shoAvn to be 180 
second-feet, while the discharge of the sti-eam may be said, if we 
except a few days in September, not to fall below that amount during 
the irrigating period. 

As shown by the following table, six canals divert water from this 
source and vary in carrying capacity from 4 to 70 second-feet. The 
Hyrum Canal is the largest and is divided near its head gates, the 
upper branch supplying water to a i^ortion of Hyrum City, and the 
lower being used on the fields adjacent to Millville. Solveson c^ Co.'s 



rORTIER.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



33 



ditch is one of small capacity, and waters the lands on tlie vivev bot- 
toms. The remaining four canals extend to the town of Millville and 
its vicinity, two being taken out on the east side of the I'i^'er and two 
on the west. 



June, 1896. 



July, 1896. 



August. 1896. 



Sept., 1896 



15 20 25 30 5 


If 


) 1. 


> 2t 


2: 


30 5 


n 


lo 


2(J 


25 


3C 


5 


10 




\ 
\ 


































\ 
\ 

\ 
\ 


































\ 

\ 
\ 






































N 

\ 


































\ 


\ 




































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"•>>».^_ 


— 


■^--. 


^^- 






































^^.^ 


.^ 














- 




















L 


NAP 


'ROI 


'f?IA 


TED 


WAl 


ERS 






^^ 


-^^ 




















^>^ 














































































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A 


»PR( 


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VTEC 


W/ 


TER 


S 












^ 







































































y>o 

32;) 

;3(X) 

275 

250 

225 

200 

175 

150 

125 

100 

75 

50 

25 



Fio. 5.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Blacksmith Fork River. 
Irrigating canals diverting ivater from Blacksmith Fork River. 



Name of canal or ditch. 


June. { July. j August. 


September. 


-2 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 
Is 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


05 
1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


a3 
1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


Solverson & Co. 's ditch 

No 1 canal 


18 

fl8 
\29 

18 

18 


3.9 

27.8 
32.9 

48.7 

70.6 


9 

}. 

10 
10 
9 
9 


0.8 

17.4 

63.6 
51.7 
16.4 
13.5 


5 
4 


2.2 

-22.8 

65.9 

•26.1 

6.7 

1.1 


15 

15 

15 
15 
15 
15 


Dry. 

4.3 

22.8 
11.2 
3.4 


Hyrum canal 


No 2 canal 


No. 4 canal 






Dry. 









LITTLE BEAR RIVER. 

Little Bear River, Littl-e Muddy River, or Boxelder Creek, as it is 
variously termed, is a tributarj^ of Logan River. It is formed by two 
main streams which unite near the town of Paradise, in the southern 
IRR 7 3 



34 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. 7. 



part of the valley. One of these tributaries is called the East Fork 
of Little Bear River, and has a total length from its head waters to its 
mouth in Logan River of 33 miles. The general trend of its course 
within the mountains is easterly, but after joining the South Fork the 



June, 1896. 



Julv. 1896. 



August, 1896. 



ISept., 1896 



15 20 25 30 5 10 15 30 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 



10 



1 
\ 


































\ 

V 


































\ 

V 




































\ 


































V 

\ 


































V 

\ 

\ 




































s 






























UN 




PR1A1 
■CR 


ED ^ 


■--- 





^.^^ ^ 




-''■ 


X 

V 


























" 




AFPRt 


PRIA1 


EO WA 


PER 










* 










^ 










] 




-....^ 


1 




































" 



250 



200 

1-5 o 

d 

150 i 

125 2 

O 

100 I 

75 H 

1^ 



50 



Fig. 6.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of South Fork of Little 
Bear River. 

combined waters flow in a northerly direction to Logan River. The 
South Fork is fed by numerous springs and rivulets which flow from 
the south side of the divide lying between Cache Valley and Ogden 
Valley, and its greatest length from its source to its confluence with 
the East Fork is 10 miles. The following table gives the names and 



June, 1896. July, 1896. 




1 August, 1896. 




ISept., 1896 





L5 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 35 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 1 


^ 


'h 
































inf 


K 
































75 






[^ 


.>!l:iv 


.^_ 
































50 














-'**** 


-^ 


:^:^ 


^^=^ 




















APPf 


OPRI. 


kTEO 


WATE 


:r 


















■^ 




25 








n 



Fig. 7.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of East Fork of Little 
Bear River. 

the capacities at stated periods of each ditch or canal diverting water 
from Little Bear River and its tributaries. A glance at figs. G and 7 
shows that the waters of both forks were nearly all utilized during 
the past season. 



FORTIER.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



35 



In this portion of the valley the gain due to seepage waters from 
irrigated areas and from the adjacent bench lands is of considerable 
value to the inhabitants of Wellsville. On July 15, 189G, the flow in 
the South Fork was 61 second-feet. On the same date Ilyrum 
Canal was diverting 55 second-feet, and a surplus of 24: second-feet 
remained in the river. These figures show a gain from seepage and 
deep-seated springs of 43 second-feet. Subsequently the springs 
were measured and aggregated nearly 20 second-feet, thus leaving a 
balance of 23 second-feet of seepage waters. 

Irrigating canals diverting icater from Little Bear River. 



Name of canal or ditch. 


June. 


July. 


August. 


September. 


6 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


i 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 

I 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


From East Fork. 
Jackson Surplus Ditch 


19 
19 
19 

19 


3 
1.6 

6.8 

50.2 


10 
10 
10 

10 

11 
11 
11 

11 
u 

14 
14 


2.3 

Dry. 

1.1 

47.2 

Dry. 

Dry. 

57.4 

3.7 

2.5 

2.8 

26.1 


6 


Dry. 






Frank Law Ditch 

Facer Ditch 






6 
6 


Dry. 

35.1 






Paradise Irrigation and Reservoir 
Company's Canal 


15 


22.5 


From South Fork. 
Nichols Ditch 


Davis & Co.'s Ditch 














Hyrum Canal 






6 

6 

7 

7 


40.1 
Dry. 

o 

1.4 
' 4.9 


15 


12.8 


From main stream. 
South Field Ditch 






Paradise Hollow Ditch 






15 
15 
12 


Dry. 

Dry. 

2.6 


Miller Ditch 






Wellsville East Field Ditch 













CUB RIVER. 



Cub River, the main source of supply for the northern portion of 
Cache Valley, rises in Idaho, flows in a southwesterly direction for a 
distance of 28 miles, and empties into Bear River. The six ditches 
which head on this stream were each measured three times last sum- 
mer, with results as stated in the following table. The highest is the 
Cub River and Worm Creek Irrigation Company's canal, which sup- 
plies with water the towm of Preston, Idaho. It is taken out on the 
north side of the river, and convej^ed through a pass in the ridge 
into Worm Creek channel, which is used to convey the canal water 
to a low^er elevation, where it is again diverted into several ditches 
that distribute irrigating water to the various precincts of Preston, 
The next canal of any considerable importance is that of the Cub 
River and Middle Ditch Irrigation Company, which on June 25 
carried 50.7 second-feet. By far the largest canal on this stream 



36 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[xo. 



was begun in 18G0, for the purpose of watering bench lands located 
north of Franklin, on the right bank of Cub River. Owing, however, 
to a grave error in the grade, the project was temporarily abandoned, 
and it was not until after the settlement of Lewiston that a resurvey 
was made and the canal completed. It is now known as the Lewiston 
Ditch, or canal. The lowest canal, but the first to divert water from 
Cub River, if one excepts the Perkins Ditch, which is now practically 
abandoned, is the Franklin City Ditch, which was built in 1864 by 
Messrs. Parkinson, Smart, AVoodward, and others. 

The accompanying diagram (fig. 8) shoAving the appropriated and 
unappropriated waters of Cub River, indicates a large surplus during 
the months of June, but after July 10 the flow is nearly all utilized by 
the various canals. 



June, 1896. 



.July. 189G. 



August, 1896. 



Sept., 1896, 



15 20 25 30 



10 15 20 25 30 



10 15 



25 30 



10 







N 
\ 


























■ 










\ 
\ 


































\ 
\ 

\ 




























UNA] 


»PRO 


»f?IAl 


A 




























\ 


VAT! 


R 


\ 




































V 


/' 


\ 


































^ 


/ 
/ 


\ 

\ 
\ 
































V. 


\ 


































- 


>r^^ 






















APP 


ROP 


?IAT 


■D V 


VATI 


f" 








""■^ 


^— 


=^^ 


:^i^ 


--^ 









































jOO 



450 



400 



350 



o 
r 
c 

300 I 



250 



200 



150 



100 



50 



Fig. 8.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Cub River. 
Irrigating cancds diverting water from Cub River in Oneida County, Idaho. 



Name of canal or ditch. 


June. 1 July- August. 

1 1 


September. 


6 

1 


Dis- 1 . Dis 

charge in ^ charge in 

sec. ft. g sec. ft. 




Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


Cub River and Worm Creek Irri- 
gation Company's canal . - 


25 
25 

25 
25 
25 
26 


42. 5 

4.8 

50.7 

Dry. 

122.1 

5.6 


27 

26 

27 
27 
27 
28 


31.8 
1.5 

15.9 
2.1 

51.0 
2.4 






7 

7 
7 


8.4 
Dry. 

12.0 
Dry. 

30.2 
Dry. 


Morehead, Taylor, and Kent Ditch. 
Cub River and Middle Ditch Irri- 










Taylor ditch 






Lewiston ditch 






Franklin City ditch 






^ 









FORTIER.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



37 



HIGH CREEK. 

High Creek is a tributary of Cub River. It rises near the bound- 
ary line between Utah and Idaho and flows in a southwest course 
for a distance of about 9 miles. Numerous ditclies, as may be seen 
by the following table, take water from this comparatively small 
stream, but, with the exception of the two Richmond canals, their 
discharges during July and August are small. The Richmond Irri- 
gation Canal, increased by a j^ortion of the flow from Cherry Creek, 
waters the sloping bench lands lying between High Creek and Rich- 
mond. This canal, when augmented by the flow from City Creek, 
also furnishes water for the uj^per portion of the town of Richmond. 
The lower portion of this town and the farm lands adjacent thereto 
are watered by the Richmond City Canal. 

Irrigating canals diverting water from High Creek, in Cache County, Utah. 



Name of canal or ditch. 


June. 


July. 


August. 


September. 

1 


ce 

P 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 




Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


P 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec, ft. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 

.sec. ft. 


Williams and Derney Ditch 

Upper High Bair Ditch 


28 
28 

28 

28 

28 

% 

'>8 


1.3 
2.9 

7.8 

43.2 

3.6 

0.7 

25.5 

8.7 
(5.8 
8.9 


29 
29 

29 

29 

29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 


Dry. 
Dry. 
Dry. 

2.5 

Dry, 

Dry. 

16.4 

0.9 

1,2 

2.8 


















Upper Co ve ville Ditch 










Richmond Irrigation Company's 
Canal 






9 


1.0 


Williams Bros., Eckelson and Day 
Ditch 






Xorman Dny Ditch 










Richmond City or Irrigation Canal. 
Two Eleventh Ditch 




9 
9 
9 

9 


3.8 
1.0 
2.1 
0.6 


"i 


Lower Coveville Ditch 


28 
28 


1 


J. Bright Ditch. 


1 




""1 



38 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. 



SUMMIT CREEK. 

Summit Creek lias its source near the head waters of Logan River, 
and after flowing in a sonthwestei'ly course for a distance of 13 miles 
empties into Bear River. The summer flow of this creek is diverted 
through A'arious canals, a list of which is given in the order of eleva- 
tion in the following table, and is used to irrigate the town lots of 
Smithfield and the farm lands adjacent thereto. A portion of the 
flow is first used for mechanical purposes, but is subsequently diverted 
for irrigation purposes. 

Irrigating canals diverting water from Summit and Birch creeks in CacheCoiinty, 

Utah. 



Name of canal or ditch. 


.June. 


July. 


August. 


September. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 
1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 




Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


Roskelly Ditch 






3 

3 

3 
31 

3 
31 

3 
31 

3 
31 

3 
31 

3 
31 

3 
31 


Dry. 

Dry. 
13.0' 
3.9 
3.6 

14.1 
5.0 
1.0 
0.3 
0.7 
0.2 
11.9 
. 3.6 
21.8 
6.7 










Peterson Ditch 


















1 






10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 
10 


2.8 
0.8 
3.1 
0.2 
0.1 
1.6 
4.8 


Union Milling Company's Ditch 




1 






Mack's Old Mill Race Ditch 










City Ditch 




















Levy Ditch 










Big Ditch 




f 










I 







FORTIER.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 
MISCELLANEOUS MEASUREMENTS. 



39 



The following table gives the results of measurements made of the 
flow of canals and ditches from other streams within Cache Valley 
other than those before described : 

Results of measurements of irrigation canals and ditches. 



Name of canal or ditch. 



Fron Clarkston Creek. 

Birch Creek ditch 

Upper Dam ditch 

Lower Dam ditch 



From Sugar Creek\ Oneida County, 
Idaho. 

Upper Wheeler ditch 

Taylor and Perkins ditch 

Lower Wheeler ditch 



From Cherry Creek, in Cache 
County, Utah. 

Upper Cherr 5^ ditch 

Cherry Creek Water Section canal. 

From Maple Creek and tributaries, 
Crooked Creek and Deep Canyon, 
in Oneida County, Idaho. 

Crooked Canyon Creek ditch 

J. Chatterton and J. Lowe ditch... 

J. Lowe ditch 

Silver Point ditch 

Maple Creek or Franklin City 

ditch 

stalker and Woodward ditch 

Woodward ditch 

stalker and Flack ditch 



From Spring Creek, at Providence, 
in Cache County, Utah. 

Bullock ditch 

Bear ditch 

South Bench ditch 

Upper ditch 

Town ditch. 

Accommodation ditch 



June. 



. I Dis 
B [Charge in 
^ sec. ft 



26 



From Weston Creek, in Oneida 
County, Idaho. 

Lapray and Norton and Coburn 

ditches 

No. 1 ditch 

Georgson ditch 

Weston Town ditch 

East ditch 

South Field ditch... 



10.7 
7.5 



0.3 
2 7 
0.4 



11.6 
1.7 
3.5 
4.6 



July, 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft, 



0.2 
0.9 
0.9 



6.2 
0.9 



0.4 
Dry. 

1.0 
Dry. 

5.0 

2.9 

Dry. 

1.7 



0.7 
2.2 
10.6 
9.5 
6.7 
0.9 



2.6 
3.6 
2.3 
2.4 
2.5 
4.3 



August. 



Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 



3.6 
1.9 
1.5 



1.3 
3.9 
11.7 
3.5 
3.4 
Dry. 



1.4 
1.5 
1.8 
1.4 
1.0 
3.9 



September. 



Dis- 
charge in 
.sec. ft. 



3.0 
1.4 
2.0 



Dry. 

0.4 

Dry. 



1.1 
1.0 



Dry, 



Dry. 



3.1 
0.6 



Dry 



0.4 
Dry. 

4.2 
6.8 
2.9 
0.2 



0.8 
1.6 
1.4 
2.1 
1.0 
3.0 



40 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. r. 



Smaller creeks and springs of Cache 

irrigati 



Valley from ivhich icater is diverted for 
ng purposes. 



Name. 


June. 


July. 


August. 


September, j October. 

_ ____J 1 


1 


Dis 

charge in 

sec. ft. 


i 
5 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


i 

eg 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 

I 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


6 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


City Creek (Richmond) . 
City Creek (Clarkston) 






1 

17 
16 


2.6 
0.9 

1.4 


1 
12 

12 

5 


Dry. 

0.8 

1.5 

0.8 




. 










3 

11 

15 
15 


0.7 

1.2 

Dry. 
Dry. 






Deep Canyon Creek 










Dry Canyon Creek 

(Avon) 










Dry Creek ("Weston) . . 






18 
28 
31 


0.5 
Dry. 
Dry. 






Flat Canyon Creek 

Green Canyon Creek 

Hyrum Dry Canyon 


27 
13 


0.9 
5.9 
















1 




6 
4 
12 

8 
30 


0.4 
4.3 
0.4 
4.9 
Dry. 


15 
14 
3 
12 


Dry. 
4.5 
0.4 
4.5 






Mill ville Creek 






9 
17 
15 

1 

98 


3.9 
0.3 
4.5 
0.6 
Dry. 






Myler Creek .. 










New Canyon Creek 










Nebo Creek 










Ox Killer Creek 


27 


0.4 










Pole Canyon Creek 




6 


1.5 










Spring Creek (Rich 


30 


1.3 


29 


0.3 


9 
11 
11 


Dry. 
Dry. 

1.2 






Three Mile Creek 


12 
13 


0.1 
L6 






Twin Creek 






16 
26 


1.1 
Dry. 








24 


1.7 














4 
12 


0.6 
L6 








15 


1.8 


8 


1.9 










22 


10.2 






15 


5.0 


8 


4.3 


12 


3.5 


Gibson et al. springs. 




22 


6.5 






16 


0.4 
3.6 
0.6 


13 
5 
13 

7 


0.5 

3.2 

. 0.5 

10.2 


12 
14 
11 


0.4 
3.1 


Garr Spring 








Graveyard Spring . 




0.4 






Hyrum Field Seepage 
springs 












Halverson Spring 






30 


0.5 






;:::l::::::::i 


J. Stone and T. Lowe 
Spring 


27 


1.5 






8 


0.2 
3.6 






Mill ville Creamery 
Spring 














Marks et al. springs 




! 








22 


3.8 


Michelson Spring 


" ■" 








3 


0.3 


Merrill et al. springs ' 




1 


22 


5.8 


New Dam Spring 




15 


4.0 

7.0 

4.0 
LI 


8 

8 

8 
12 


4.3 

7.5 

3.6 
0.9 






North Field Dam Spring 
No.l 






15 

• 
15 
16 










North Field Dam Spring 
No.2 














Pond Spring (Mendon).. 


i 


11 

11 
11 


LI 
7.5 
0.3 






Pond Spring (Logan) 


i 






Rocky Point Spring 






16 
15 


1 6 1 12 


0.5 






Wellsville City Spring 






3.0 








Wm. Cunningham's 
Spring ... 










12 


0.15 






"Wm. Hugh's Spi'ing 

Newton Reservoir. 


26 


0.17 












17 


8.6 12 


4.9 


2 


1.9 






Hopkins's Slough 








'K\ 


6.5 






r 1 II 1 ; 





FORTiER.] LOGAN RIVER. 41 

Sources of loater supply in Cache Valley not used in irrigation in Cache County. 



Name of source. 




June. 


July. 


August. 


September. 


October. 




Dis- 

chai-ge in 

sec. ft. 




Dis- 
charge in 

sec. ft. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 

sec. ft. 


6 
1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


1 


Dis- 
charge in 
sec. ft. 


Bear River at Battle 

Creek 

Do 


23 


3,954.1 


25 
25 
25 


1,187.3 
1,198.8 
1,197.9 






5 

28 


872. G 
820.7 










1 












1 


Spring Creek (Mendon). 
Spring Creek (Millville). 
Spring Creek (Franklin) 














20 
27 
23 


-I 

66.4 

4.4 

1.4 


1 





























1 




r'T'" "■" 





RESULTS OF STREAM MEASUREMENTS. 



June, 1896. 



July, 1896. 



August, 1896. Sept. 



15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 35 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 

I 



3500 



3000 



2.500 

< 

o 

d 
2000 H 






^^ft^^ 



to. 



1500 



/fffriGATipAf 



^ffrLoh ' 



1000 



500 



«..,^ 



.A'. 



^^SlG. 



Z'^'i-0 



-Pe/h 



iir/. 



OuTFLCfr'^ 



r 



-ISSLG. 



l^UOA/ 



Fig. 9.— Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River. 

For purposes of comi^arisoii some of the results of the stream and 
canal measurements made iti Cache Valle}' during the summer of 189G 
are summarized in the diagrams of figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 9 shows tlie 
inflow, outflow, and irrigating waters of the valle}^ exclusive of Bear 
River, while fig. 10 includes both the infloAv and outflow of Bear River. 
As has been stated, no water is diverted fi-om this river in Cache 
Valley, all the water now utilized being obtained from the various 



42 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[NO. 



tributaries. The aggregate discharge of all these tributaries, includ- 
ing wells and springs, is shown by the curved line termed "inflow" in 
fig. 9. This diagram also shows the total amount of the inflow which 
was used for irrigation purposes and the surplus which was discharged 
into Bear RiA^er. 

It will be seen that the volume used for irrigation on any one day 
does not represent the difference between the inflow and the outflow 
on the same da3\ On every day from June 15 to September 15, 1896, 



19000 



8000 



•000 



6000 



5000 ^ 

5 



40002 



3000 



>000 



1000 



1 June, 1896. July. 1896. Aiigust, 1896. Sept., 1 '^96 





15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 1 










































































\ 


\ 

\ 
\ 




































V 


\ '. 

\ '• 
\ 




































\ 


\ *• 
\ '• 




































\ 
\ 
\ 


V 

\ 


-^ 


*^« 
































\ 

\ 


^% 








••••... 




















//F/ 


?/0>^ 


T/O^ 


/ 








... 




--. 


'-., 


•--. 


— 


— 


0^7 




V 








— - 
















"""^ 


— 




— 








//?/ 


r/6A 


T!Oi 


( 











Fig. 10.— Diagi'am of water supply of Cache Valley, inclusive of Bear River. 



excepting a few days in August, there was a gain due to seepage 
waters. This gain during the latter half of June averaged a contin- 
uous flow of 500 second-feet, or 18 per cent of the inflow, but it 
decreased rapidly until the 20th of August, when it began to increase 
gradually to September 15. In the following table are given, in cubic 
feet per second, the volume flowing into the vallej^ Bear River excepted, 



FORTIER ] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



43 



the volume diverted for irrigation, and the outflow, besides the average 
monthly gain, resulting from seei)age waters. 

Water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River, in second-feet. 



Date. 



1896. 

June 15 

June 20 

June 25 

June 30. 

July 5- 

July 10 

July 15 

July20 

July25.. 

JulySO 

Augusts 

August 10 

August 15. 

August 20 

August 25 

AiigustSO 

September 5 

September 10... 
September 15. . . 



Inflow. 



,275.8 
00<) 

537. 5 
107. G 
805. 9 
SIl.t 
.552. 5 
,341.3 
244 2 
224 4 
U8.2 
a36.9 

998. 6 
997.7* 
938. 4. 
905.2 
813.2 
938.9 
864.6 



Irrigation. 


Outflow 


Average 
monthly 
gain from 
seepage. 


1. 1()3. 1 


2,659 




1,162.9 
1,1.59 1 


2,029 

1,884 


.500. 4 


1,136 


1,739 




1,081.9 


1,149 




1,020.2 


849 




925. 5 

860 


684 
674 


> 1816 


755. 6 


554 




731 9 


554 




(S2. 2 


.5;-)7 




573. 4 


.562 




.547 5 
512. 3 


462 
417 


34 


470.5 


4^58 




442.8 


.553 




394. 7 


.508 




352.7 


508 


61.5 


a34.7 


6a3 





The rainfall from June 15 to September 15 on the 450 square miles 
lying within the area bounded by the locations of the stream meas- 
urements in Cache Valley was 3.58 inches, or an equivalent of 85,920 
acre-feet of water. Assuming, for the present, that the amount of 
water evaporated from the surface of the irrigated area, together 
with that transpired \>y the leaves of cultivated plants, would aggre- 
gate a depth of 12 inches during the three months from June 15 to 
September 15, the loss due to evaporation over an irrigated area of 
38,625 acres would equal 38,625 acre-feet. Again, if we assume that 
the water evaporated from the surface of the uncultivated portions 
of the valley was 4 inches during the same time, this loss over an 
area of 450 square miles, less 38,625 acres, or 249,375 acres, would 
equal 83,125 acre-feet. Comparing the losses due to evaporation with 
the gain from rainfall, the former is the greater by 35,830 acre-feet, 
which would maintain a stream of 200 second-feet for nearly three 
months. 

If we assume that the rainfall just balances the evaporation, tlien 
the gain due to seepage would be so given in the above table. In this 
case the amount evaporated from the surface of the uncultivated por- 
tion of the valle}" in three montlis would be less than 2^ inches, an 
amount apparently too small. 



44 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 

Irrigating duty of water in Cache Valley in 1896. 



[NO. 7. 



Month. 



1896 

June 

July 

August 

September .. .. 

Average . 



Duty of 

water in 

acres per 

sec. ft. 



52 

67 
113 
166 



99.5 



The figures given above include all the waste arising from absorp- 
tion, seepage, and evaporation in the conveyance of the water as well 
as all waste caused by imperfect methods of irrigating. 




Fig. 11.— Bear River at Collinston Utah. 
SEEPAGE \VATERS IN OGDEN VALLEY. 

This valley comprises the highest irrigated land in Weber County. 
It is separated from Great Salt Lake Valley by a narrow spur of the 
AVasatc^h JMountains and is watered by the South, INIiddle, and North 
forks of Ogden River and several small creeks. The three main trib- 
utaries meet near tlie lowei* part of the valley and form Ogden River, 



FORTIER.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



45 



which traverses the mountain range througli a canyon over 5 miles 
long, having an average fall in that distance of 80 feet to the mile. 
The torrential character of the river in this portion is illustrated in 
fig. 12. All of the water flowing from the upper valley must pass 
through this narrow gorge. 

The irrigators of Ogden Valley supply annually 5,000 acres with 
water diverted from Ogden River and its tributaries, as shown by the 
small map, PI. III. This diversion is, however, illegal during times 




FiCx. ]2,— Narrows of Offden River. 



of scarcity, since all the summer flow belongs to prior appropriators 
whose canals are situated in the lower portions of the county, the 
relative location being shown on the left half of PI. III. Manj^ dis- 
putes have arisen between the irrigators of the two sections, and to 
prevent costly litigation, the writer sought to determine, if j^ossible, 
whether water could be diverted and applied to the land in the ui^per 
vallej" without lessening materially the su^^pl}^ to the legal owners 
below. 



46 



SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. 



[xo. 



The results of measurements made in 1894 are given in the follow- 
ing table : 

Ogden Valley inflow and outflow in 1894. 



Date. 


Inflow, in 
second-feet. 


Volume 
used in irri- 
gation. 


Outflow, in 
second-feet. 


Seepage 

waters and 

private 

springs. 


July 10 

15 

20 

25 

30 


154.0 

129.8 

127.2 

118.6 

107.1 

96.0 

88.5 

81.2 

76.5 

75.0 

73.1 

80.2 

79.0 


140.0 
121.0 
104.7 
93.5 
85.0 
77.5 
74.0 
71.4 
66.0 
56.5 
44.0 
31.0 
27.0 


156.5 
140.7 
119.2 
105. 4 
106.8 
99.7 
106.8 
100,5 
106.8 
110.4 
113.0 
121.2 
119.2 


142.5 
131.9 
96.7 
80.3 
84.7 
81.2 
92.3 
90.7 
96.3 
91.9 
83.9 
72.0 
67.2 


Aug. 5 


10 


15 


20 


25 


30 


Sept. 5. 


10 





July. 



10 



175 



% 150 



125 



August. 



25 



10 



15 



20 



September 



10 





























^ 


^■% 


























■^^ 


N, 




















^\, 








^ 


^^ 




^^ 


^ 




Outi 


oiv 




> 












^'■^i 


(y^^~^~. 


^ 


^-- 
























^'^eo 


/'n 


/rr> 


?'^''/a 


/nf/o 




























V 


"-.^^ 































«= 100 
g 75 
^ 50 



Fig. 13.— Diagram illustrating inflow and outflow of Ogden Valley. 

A more detailed description of the measurements is to be found in 
a preliminary report on seepage water and the underflow of rivers/ 
published in 1895. The general facts are illustrated by the accompa- 
nying diagram, fig. 13, illustrating the inflow and outflow of Ogden 

1 Utah Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 38, by Samuel Fortier, hydraulic engi" 
neer, February, 1895. 



^ 

^^. 







tt' s 




>^^i|i 


^P 


:0 
:0 



^^"^ 






y^A/y jdqdM 



% 



^^^ 



3= Z 7 

Q Q Q 

lis 






<«^^^ii< 
^^' 



^jd/OA/ 



^•^^^^ 



UJ UJ 

I I 

-J J 

Z) J 



T^' 






FORTIEK.] 



LOGAN RIVER. 



47 



Valley, and by the dotted line the amount used in irrigation. If no 
water returned by seepage or was added by percolation from tlie adja- 
cent mountain lands, the outflow would be represented by the vertical 
distance between the dotted line representing the amount used in irri- 
gation and the light line representing the inflow; but, as sliown by the 
heavy line, the actual outflow is far greater than tliis, being larger at 
times than the inflow upon the corresponding dates. ^ 

To be more certain that the ratio existing between the inflow and 
outflow of this valley was correctly determined in 1894, the writer 
sent Messrs. Rhead and Humphreys with a different current meter to 
make a similar test during 1896. The results obtained by them, 
given below, corroborate the records of 1894: 

Results of measurements in Ogden Valley in 1896. 



Date-1896. 


Inflow in 
second- 
feet. 


Volume 
used in ir- 
rigation . 


Outflow in 
second- 
feet. 


Seepage 

waters and 

private 

springs. 


Aug. 20 . - 


91.6 

86.0 
78.7 
70.0 
62.8 
55.3 
50.4 


106.5 
99.2 
89.4 
79.2 
70.2 
60.7 
51.6 


101.1 
99.5 
97.4 
95.0 
93.0 
90.0 
89.1 


116.0 
112.7 
108.1 
104.2 
100.4 
95.4 
90.7 


25 


30 


Sept. 5 


10 

15 

20.- --- 



Some of the Ogden Valley canals, such as the Eden Canal, obtain a 
portion of their discharge from seepage waters, and this accounts for 
the fact that the aggregate volume used in irrigation exceeds the 
inflow. 



> The public lands and their water supply, by F. H. Newell: Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 
Survey, Part II, 1895, p. 529. 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Baker, John S., aid given by 13 

Bear River, water for irrigation supplied 

by... - 11 

view of --- 44 

Blacksmith Fork River, water for irriga- 
tion furnished by 28 

description of 33 

discharge of - 33 

•irrigating canals diverting water 

from -- 33 

maximum volume of water appropri- 
ated and utilized from 33 

diagram showing appropriated and 

unappropriated waters of 33 

Boxelder County, area of irrigable land in 13 
Cache County, investigation of seepage 

water in 11,12 

aid furnished by board of county com- 
missioners of l3 

approximate area irrigated in 1896 in. 28 

population of -.- 28 

principal towns and cities of 38 

Cache Valley, investigation of seepage 

water in 11,13 

priority of water rights in 13 

object of hydrographic survey of 13 

•description of 27-38 

character of soil in 28-29 

source of water supply for northern 

portion of 35 

results of measurements of various 

canals and ditches in 39-40 

sources of water supply in 41 

irrigation duty of water in 44 

diagram showing water supply of 41,42 

gain from seepage water in. 42 

water supply of 43 

rainfall in 43 

evaporation in 43 

Canals, Logan, Hyde Park, and Smith- 
field 30 

Logan and Richmond. 30,31-32 

Providence... 30,31,32 

Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher. 30,31,32 

Nursery 30 

Logan and Benson Ward 30,33 

West Field or Little Ditch 30,33 

average combined capacity of 32-33 

Carpenter, L. G., evaporation measured 

by 20 

Clover, amount of water absorbed by 26 

Collinston, view of Bear River at 44 



Page. 
Conley , J. D. , evaporation measured by . . 30 
Corinne, diagram showing mean monthly 

rainfall at 15 

average annual rainfall at 27 

Crops, amount of water required per 

pound of , 26 

Cub River, water for irrigation furnished 

by. 28 

description of ;J5 

irrigating canals diverting water 

from 35,36 

Cub River and Middle Ditch Irrigation 

Company, canal of 35 

Cub River and Work Creek Irrigation 
Company, water supplied to town of 

Preston by 35 

Duty of water in Cache Valley 44 

Evaporation, apparatus and methods for 

measurement of. 17-19 

figure of pan and scales for measuring . 18 
tables giving results of measurement 

of. 20-21 

methods of checking 21 

estimated depth of 21 

from soil, sand, and water surfaces, 

amount of 33 

summary of results, Dr. Wollny's 

work on 33-23 

ratio between weight of crop har- 
vested and 36 

relation between rainfall and 43 

Fort Collins, table showing monthly evap- 
oration at 30 

Fort Douglas, evaporation measurements 

at reservoir near 18 

table giving results of measurements 

of evaporation at 30 

Fullmer, C. D. W., cited 28 

Greaves, Charles, cited 22 

Heber, diagram showing mean monthly 

rainfall at 15 

Hellriegel, cited 26 

High Creek, description of 37 

irrigating canals diverting water 

from .37 

Humphreys, Thomas H. , aid given by 12 

cited 47 

Hyrum, character of soil in vicinity of . . . 28 
Idaho, investigations of seepage water in . 11 

King, F.H., cited 26,27 

Laramie, Wyoming, evaporation meas- 
urements at 20 

49 



50 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Little Bear River, water for irrigation 

furnished hy _ 28 

description of.- 33-34 

diagram showing appropriated and 
unappropriated waters of South 

Fork of-- - ---- 34 

diagram showing appropriated and 
unappropriated waters of East 

Fork of 34 

irrigating canals diverting water 

from .- -- 35 

Little Ditch (West BMeld Canal), area irri- 
gated by - 33 

Logan, diagram showing mean monthly 

rainfall at-.- 15 

table of rainfall at 17 

water supply of 30 

Logan River, rainfall in basin of 14-15 

flow of .- -. 15 

water for irrigation furnished by 28 

description of- 29 

diagram showing appropriated and 

unappropriated waters of - 29 

establishment of gaging station on. _ - 29 
irrigating canals diverting water 

from .- 30 

Logan and Benson Ward Canal, area irri- 
gated by --_ - -. 32 

Logan and Richmond Irrigating Com- 
pany's canal, area irrigated by 31-32 

Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfleld Canal, 

area irrigated by .- -- 30-31 

Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher Canal, 

area irrigated by- -. 32 

Millville, character of soil in vicinity of. - 28 
Moisture, effects of excess and deficiency 

of- - - 25 

Mulching, evaporation from soil surface 

checked by. -... 22 

New Canyon Creek, water for irrigation 

furnished by _ 28 

Newell, F. H., letter of transmittal by--- 9 
Ogden, diagram showing mean monthly 

rainfall at 15 

Ogden River, description of 45 

view of narrows of 45 

diversion of water from --. 45 

Ogden Valley, seepage waters in -.- 44-47 

description of..- 44-45 

inflow and outflow of water in 1894. - - 46 
diagram illustrating inflow and out- 
flow of-- - 40 

results of measurement in 47 

Oneida County, Idaho, investigation of 

seepage water in -- 11,12 

Paradise, character of soil in vicinity of. 28 



Page. 
Preston, distribution of irrigating water 

to- 35 

Providence Canal, area irrigated by 32 

Provo, evaporation measurements at 20 

Rainfall, diagrams showing monthly and 

annual means for stations in Utah. . 15 
tables of monthly and annual means. 16-17 

at Logan, table showing 17 

relation between evaporation and 43 

Rhead, J. L., aid given by 12 

cited 1 47 

Richmond City Canal, lands watered by_ 37 
Richmond Irrigation Canal, lands watered 

by .- 37 

Russell, T., evaporation observed by 20-21 

Salt Lake, diagram showing mean 

monthly rainfall at 15 

Seepage water, definition of term 11 

method of investigating--- 12-13 

origin of 13-15 

in Ogden valley 44r-47 

Smithfield, irrigation of town lots of and 

farm lands near - 38 

Soil, water-holding capacity of - . - 25 

Stream measurements, results of 41 

Subirrigation, value of - 24-25 

Summit Creek, irrigating canals divert- 
ing water from. 38 

Transpiration through foliage of plants, 

magnitude of.. - -. 26 

Utah, diagrams showing mean monthly 

rainfall in 15 

estimated annual evaporation from 

water surfaces in _ 21 

Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, 

aid furnished by - - 12 

Vegetation, injurious effects of excess or 

deficiency of moisture on - - 25 

Water, source of supply of, for irriga- 
tion-. -- 11 

method of investigating seepage of - . 12-15 

proper application of-- 24 

capacity of soil for holding 25 

injurious effects of excess or defi- 
ciency of 25 

amount required per pound of dry 

matter 26 

ratio of weight of crop harvested to. _ 26 
Wellsville, first permanent settlement in 

Cache Valley at-.- 28 

value of seepage waters at 35 

West Field Canal (Little Ditch), area irri- 
gated by -- 32 

Western Creek, water for irrigation fur- 
nished by 28 

Wollny, E., cited 22,25,26 



1895. 

Sixteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1894r-95, Part II, 
Papers of an economic character, 189."), octavo, 598 yg. 

Contains a paper on the public lands and their water supply, by F. H. Nowell, illustrated 
by a large map showing the relative extent and location ot the vacant ])ublic lauds; also a 
report on the water resources of a portion of the Great Plains, by Robert Ha 

A geological reconnoissance of northwestern Wyoming, by George H. Eldridge, 
1894, octavo, 72 pp. Bulletin No. 119 of the United States Geological Survey; 
price, 10 cents. 

Contains a description of the geologic structure of portions of the Big Horn Range and 
Big Horn Basin, especially with reference to the coal fields, and remarks upon the wat',ir 
supply and agricultural possibilities. 

Report of progress of the division of hydrography for the calendar year 1893-94, 
by F. H. Newell, 1895, octavo, 176 pp. Bulletin No. 131 of the United States 
Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. 

Contains results of stream measurementsat various points, mainly within the arid region, 
and records of wells in a number of counties in western Nebraska, western Kansas, and 
eastern Colorado. 

1896. 

Seventeenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1895-96, Part 
II, Economic geology and hydrography, 1896, octavo, 804 pp. . 

Contains papers by G. K. Gilbert on the underground water of the Arkansas Valley in 
eastern Colorado; by Frank Leverett on the water resources of Illinois; and by N. H. Dar- 
ton on a reconnoissance of the artesian areas of a portion of the Dakotas. 

Artesian-well prospects in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton, 
1896, octavo, 230 pp.. 19 plates. Bulletin No. 138 of the United States Geolog- 
ical Survey; price, 20 cents. 

Gives a description of the geologic conditions of the coastal region from Long Island, 
N. Y., to Georgia, and contains data relating to many of the deep wells. 

Report of nrogress of the division of hydrography for the calendar year 1895, by 
F. H. Newell, hydrographer in charge, 1896, octavo, 356 pp. Bulletin No. 140 
of the United States Geological Survey; price, 25 cents. 

Contains a description of the instruments and methods employed in measuring streams 
and the results of hydrographic investigations in various parts of the United States. 

i89r. 

Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1896-97, Part 
IV, Hydrography, 1897, octavo, — pp. (In preparation.) 

Contains a progress report of stream measurements for the year 1896, by Arthur P. Davis, 
and four other papers relating to hydrogi'aphy. The first of these is by Frank Leverett. 
and relates to the water resources of Ohio and "Indiana, especially as obtained by wells; the 
next is by N. H. Darton, on the arte.sian waters of Soiith Dakota, being supplementary to 
his paper in the Seventeenth Annual; following this is a fully illustrated paper, by James 
D. Schuyler, on water storage, mainly for irrigation and the construction of dams; the la-^t 
paper, by Robert T. Hill, describes the artesian conditions of a portion of Texas in the 
vicinity of San Antonio. 

Water Supply and Irrigation Papers. 

This series of papers is designed to present in pamphlet form the results of stream mea-^- 
urements and of special investigations. A list of these, with other information, is given on 
the outside (or fourth) page of this cover. 

Survey bulletins can be obtained only by prepayment of cost as noted above. 
Postage stamps, checks, and drafts can not be accepted. Money should be trans- 
mitted by postal money order or express order, made payable to the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey. Correspondence relating to the publications 
of the Survey should be addressed to The Director, United States Geological 
Survey, Washington, D. C. 



^ 



WATER-SUPPIiY AXD IRRIGATIOlSr PAPERS. 

1. Pumping water for irrigation, by Herbert M. Wilson, 1896. 

2. Irrigation near Phoenix, Arizona, by Arthur P. Davis, 1897. 

3. Sewage irrigation, by George W. Rafter, 1897. 

4. A reconnoissance in southeastern Washington, by Israel C. Russell, 1897. 

5. Irrigation practice on the Great Plains, by E. B. Cowgill, 1897. 

6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by, Erasmus Haworth, 1897. 

7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 

8. Windmills for irrigation, by E. C. Murphy. 

9. Irrigation near Greeley, Colorado, by David Boyd. 

10. Irrigation in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, by F. C. Barker. 

11. River heights for 1893, by Arthur P. Davis. 

12. Water resources of southeastern Nebraska, by Nelson Horatio Darton. 

In addition to the above, there are in various stages of preparation other papers 
relating to the measurement of streams, the storage of water, the amount available 
from underground sources, the efficiency of windmills, the cost of pumping, and 
other details relating to the methods of utilizing the water resources of the coun- 
try. Provision has been made for printing these by the following clause in the 
sundry civil act making appropriations for the year 1896-97: 

Provided, That hereafter the reports of the Geological Survey in relation to the 
gauging of streams and to the methods of utilizing the water resources may be 
printed in octavo form, not to exceed 100 pages in length and 5,000 copies in num- 
ber; 1,000 copies of which shall be for the official use of the Geological Survej', 
1,500 copies shall be delivered to the Senate, and 2,500 copies shall be delivered to 
the House of Representatives, for distribution. (Approved, June 11, 1896; Stat. L., 
vol. 29, p. 453.) 

The maximum number of copies available for the use of the Geological Survey 
is 1,000. This quantity falls far short of the demand, so that it is impossible to 
supply all requests. Attempts are made to send these pamphlets to persons who 
have rendered assistance in their preparation through replies to schedules or dona- 
tion of data. Requests specifying a certain paper and stating a reason for asking 
for it are attended to whenever practicable, but it is impossible to comply with 
general demands, such as to have all of the series sent indiscriminately. 
Application for these papers should be made either to Members of Congress or to 
The Director, 

United States Geological Survey, 

Washington, D. C. 



G. p. 0., Apr., '05. 



